Under the Gun
by LEYTON-NALEY
Summary: She needs a bodyguard, and he returned from the island with a hero complex. It really should be as simple as that. Olicity. Season One Rewrite.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: PLEASE READ!**

 **So I've changed some of the background of Oliver just for plot reasons. Oliver did everything that happened in the five years he was gone, but I'm choosing to focus on what happened to him on the island more than anything else, just like the first two seasons of the show. And since I needed Sara in this story to not be a crime-fighting vigilante, she was not on the island with Oliver.**

 **That also means that I've tweaked the backgrounds of some of the characters as well. Nyssa is not a trained assassin, but a self-defense trainer. I did this because she is kind of important to the plot of this story, and I love her relationship with Sara on the show, so I wanted to write a little about them in here as well. Also, Diggle and Lyla are already together with a baby (they never got divorced), but it's a boy named Andrew. Obviously I couldn't have the baby named Sara since Sara Lance never died in this fic, so I gave them a boy named after Diggle's deceased brother.**

 **There may be some more things that I've changed, but I'll explain them within the story. If there's anything confusing, feel free to let me know and I will explain. Anything I feel like I need to address will be added in later chapters in my author notes. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the first chapter of this story.**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

Darkness.

It enveloped his brain like a disease as he sunk further into his slumber. There was a man, his cruel laugh filling the silence. Oliver turned around, scanning his surroundings. Trees were scattered across the land, complicating his vision. The evil laughter erupted again from out of the darkness, scratching at Oliver's nerves. He took off running then, his legs moving at a pace almost unrecognizable.

"There's nowhere to run, kid," the voice called out, seeming to come at Oliver from every direction.

He froze, searching for anything he could use as a weapon. There was a branch at the base of a tree, his arm extending forward to grab it. Before he could reach it, a leg swung outwards, hitting him in his torso. He collapsed onto the ground, grabbing his ribs that were most likely broken from the impact.

"Don't tell me you're giving up that easily," the voice boomed, its beholder coming into sight above Oliver's face. "I trained you better than that."

Oliver, stumbled to his feet, gripping the bark of a tree for support. He flipped around, finding his opponent no more than three feet away. His grin was wicked, hands moving down to where his sword was resting in its holster.

"Slade," Oliver acknowledged, raising his head. "It's not exactly a fair fight."

"You don't deserve a fair fight," Slade growled, pulling his sword out and holding the tip against Oliver's throat. "You killed Shado."

"It wasn't my fault!" Oliver yelled, wincing as the sword dug into his flesh. "I didn't have a choice!"

"Yeah, well neither did she."

Before Oliver could even think up a response, the sword had broken his skin and pierced through his esophagus. Blood spewed from his throat, his hands shooting upwards to stop the bleeding. Slade yanked his sword out, blood glistening along the metal underneath the moonlight. Oliver sunk to his knees, hitting the ground in a useless heap.

The moment his body came in contact with the soggy earth, he was awoken from his sleep. He shot up in bed, chest heaving as he fought for air. Frantically, his eyes searched around his room, taking in every little detail.

He was safe.

He was alive.

He was alone.

Ever since his return from the island, his nights have been plagued by nightmares. The nightmares were reoccurring, all involving Slade sticking a sword through him in one way or another. But no, that wasn't possible.

Slade Wilson was dead.

Oliver remembered those days on the island so clearly. Remembered every person he encountered there. Remembered being held at gunpoint by Ivo, and having to choose whether he wanted him to take Shado's life, or his own. He'd pleaded with Ivo, begging him to let them both go, promising to do anything. Ivo shot Shado instead, and Slade never forgave him. He remembered his fight with Slade that ended in more bloodshed than anything, and the arrow he'd forced through the back of his head.

The island was hell, _his_ hell. There was no escaping it. It didn't matter how hard he tried, or how many people attempted to dig through his mind to release the hold his demons held on him. He was damaged beyond repair. It had been nearly a year since his return, and he'd had plenty of time to come to terms with it.

Oliver fell back onto the mattress, praying the nightmares wouldn't return, but knowing they would.

* * *

Oliver got out of bed just as the sun was rising, giving up on getting a good amount of rest. Knowing the nightmares would only return didn't exactly encourage him to fall back under the spell of sleep. He tugged on his cargo pants, digging through his drawers to pull out a white t-shirt. Bringing it over his head, he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. He didn't recognize the man staring back at him. That was the worst part of coming back to Starling City.

On the island, he didn't have any mirrors.

Heading down to the kitchen, he found Thea sitting at the table. She looked up from her bowl of cereal, smiling at him.

"Hey, Ollie."

He grabbed a bowl for himself, filling it to the brim with whatever cereal Thea had left out on the counter. "Hey, Speedy. What are you doing up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," she explained with a shrug. "I have to head down to the club anyways. Roy said there was a problem with the supply."

"Problem?" Oliver repeated, taking a seat next to her.

She sighed. "Yeah, apparently we're short a few bottles. I'm sure it's all a big misunderstanding. Some people probably got past security and stole a couple last night. I'll check the surveillance."

"Okay, well let me know what happens with that."

"Will do," she assured, taking a bite and turning to face him. "What are you going to do today?"

"Probably look for a job."

Thea laughed, face blanking once she realized he was being serious. "Oh, I'm sorry. Why don't you just take the job at Queen Consolidated? Mom offered it to you like a billion times."

Oliver tilted his head. "She did," he drawled. "I just don't want to be stuck in an office all day, doing nothing to help."

"Help who?"

"Someone. Anyone. I just want to be making a difference out there."

"You will be making a difference out there, Ollie. The departments at QC help out hundreds of people a day."

He went along with it, knowing she wouldn't understand. No one would ever really understand what was going on inside of him. No one would ever understand the nightmares or the constant panic that anything could go wrong at any given moment. No one would understand the desperateness he felt to help someone; to make a positive difference in any way possible.

"Hey, I'm going to head out," Thea announced, brushing his shoulder on her way to place her bowl in the sink. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay, Speedy. Have a great day."

A part of him felt relieved that she was leaving. Being alone was his preference these days. That was selfish of him though, considering Thea had no one else apart from him, their mother, and her boyfriend. Their father had died with him on that life raft, a memory he wouldn't share with anyone.

After he came back from the island, it took him awhile to adjust to the changes that had taken place in his absence. His mother was now in a relationship with his father's business partner, Walter Steele. Then there was his sister, who was engaged in a serious relationship with a kid from the Glades that she'd met when he applied for a job at Verdant. She was running the club that had merely been a dream at the time Oliver left on his father's boat. His old bodyguard, John Diggle, was now married with a son who was only a few months old. His ex-girlfriend, Laurel Lance was now in a committed relationship with his best friend, Tommy Merlyn.

There were those things in his life that remained constant though. For instance, his room was still as he had left it. All of his cars were still in the garage, untouched. His father's company, Queen Consolidated, was still thriving. Laurel's sister, Sara, still had her unwitting sense of humor and part-time job at Oblivion, a night club that specialized in creating good times. Their father, Quentin Lance, still had his job at the SCPD.

He was thankful for the constants in his life. The changes had almost been too much to handle, but somehow he'd managed. Well, he always did. That was him, the guy who managed. He managed to survive the boat crash. He managed to bury his father underneath the unknown terrain of the island. He managed to survive on the island for years. Most importantly, he managed to return home.

He used to swear to himself that if he were ever lucky enough to return home, then he would never go back to the life he had previously led. He would say goodbye to all the parties, booze, and faceless women. He would impact the world positively, and help others in any way that he could.

So far, he had kept his promise about staying out of trouble. He stayed in most nights, working away his frustration in the gym that rested in his basement. He was still working on the making a difference part. His mother had been pushing the CEO position at Queen Consolidated on him since the day he returned, and he'd had yet to accept it.

Unsure of what to do for the day, he decided to drive by the club and see if Thea needed any help. He began making his way towards his car, finding Diggle leaning against the side of it. Since his return, he was upset to find out that Diggle was no longer his bodyguard. In fact, he did a lot more self-defense training than anything else these days. So, seeing him in his driveway was the last thing Oliver was expecting.

"Diggle, what are you doing here?" Oliver asked, bringing the man into a firm embrace.

Diggle let out a hearty laugh, returning the hug. "I thought I'd surprise my old friend with a visit. Lyla was asking about you last night, and I realized it had been way too long. How are you, man?"

"I'm good. Have you been out here long?"

"A few minutes. I was hoping you'd come out here so I could avoid waking anyone up. It's still pretty early."

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep."

Diggle nodded. "What have you been doing these days?"

"Just trying to figure out what to do with my life."

Diggle stared at him. "What about the position at the company? I thought it was yours for the taking."

"It is," Oliver informed him. "That's just not exactly what I had in mind."

Diggle crossed his arms, seeming to be observing him closely now. "Well what did you have in mind, Oliver?"

Oliver gave a shrug, responding to the question without any thought at all. "I'd like to do something like you."

As soon as those words were spoken, it was if a dam had broken through. All of the questions Oliver had about his future and how he could make a difference were suddenly answered.

"You'd like to teach self-defense classes?"

Oliver shook his head. "No, not that job. I'd like to protect someone. I'd like to be a bodyguard."

"I'm not sure that's the kind of difference you had in mind, Oliver. A lot of my clients were snobby rich-kids with too much carelessness for their own good. I'm making more of a difference now."

"But not all of your cases were like that, right? There had to be some people that made it worth doing for as long as you did."

Diggle nodded, thinking back on it. "There were a few."

"See? This is it, Diggle. This is what I want to do. Or, at least it's a start," Oliver decided. "Is there any way you can get me into your line of work?"

"I don't know, Oliver. You aren't exactly qualified."

Oliver scoffed. "If you think I don't know how to defend myself, then you are extremely mistaken."

"And where exactly did you receive your training?" Diggle asked, looking doubtful.

Oliver swallowed. "On the island."

A look of regret filled Diggle's face. "God, I'm sorry, Oliver. I didn't know."

Oliver shook his head, dismissing the topic since he didn't want to speak of it. "How about an audition? You can come at me with everything you've got. If you think that I defend myself well enough, then you can consider it, okay?"

"Sounds fair," Diggle agreed. "You do have a gym in that place, don't you?"

Oliver smiled. "Yeah, I do."

* * *

Oliver swung at Diggle, landing a jab against the man's chest. Diggle stumbled back, looking shocked for a split second before regaining his concentration. He threw a fist Oliver's way, which Oliver quickly dodged by shifting to the left. While he thought Oliver was distracted, he kicked a foot in an attempt to sweep his legs out from under him. Instead, Oliver jumped over his attack, sending three jabs in a row against Diggle's upper body.

Diggle staggered back, raising his hands in surrender. Oliver remained in his fighting stance, making sure this wasn't another one of Diggle's tricks. Once he realized it wasn't, he relaxed his form, reaching for his water bottle. He took a huge swig of it, letting the cool liquid rush down his throat.

"I'm impressed," Diggle started, looking at Oliver with subtle pride. "You can definitely hold your own out there."

"And pretty well, I think so," Oliver bragged, earning an eye roll from Diggle.

"Yeah, yeah," Diggle said, shaking his head. "It's all fun and games until you're placed in a situation where you actually need to put those skills to use. That flare of panic you feel… There's nothing quite like it, Oliver. I'm just not sure how you'd react in a situation like that."

"I can handle it," Oliver assured. "I've been in those situations before."

Diggle didn't question Oliver again about the accuracy of his statement, choosing to believe that those experiences that Oliver had gone through really did make him perfect for this job. So, he made up his mind on how he was going to handle things from this point on, giving Oliver a reassuring smile.

"Okay," he agreed.

Oliver let a grin break out across his face. "Okay?"

"Yes, but I can only vouch for you. It's up to the company to see if they want to take you on as a worker."

"How long do you think that could take?"

Diggle shrugged. "Not long. We're always looking for people to take on. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people in this city that need protecting."

Oliver nodded along, not even bothering to tell Diggle that he knew all about the dangers of Starling City. Having lived in this city his whole life, he was more than aware of the violence and crime that paroled the streets every night. This city was dangerous; there was no denying that.

"If the boss likes you, you'll get assigned your first client."

"And how exactly does that work?" Oliver asked.

"Well, normally we just pick the first case on the list," Diggle explained. "But since you're new, you'll probably be given one that's fairly easy."

Oliver set his hands on his hips. "Is it possible for me to request someone who's… Someone who really needs help? Someone who I can wake up and feel good about protecting? Someone who can make me feel like I am actually making a difference?"

Diggle knew the answer to that, and paused as he considered what to tell Oliver. An idea popped into his head, and he knew he just had to say it, even if Oliver thought it was the most ridiculous thing ever.

"There are a lot of folks in my self-defense classes that are good people who genuinely need help. They don't have the money to pay for protection, so they settle on learning it themselves."

Oliver knit his brows together, trying to read between the lines, but failing. "What's your point, Digg?"

"Look, I'm not saying that this is the way to go, but there is one other option."

"I'm listening."

"You could forget about trying to get signed on as a professional bodyguard for now. You could forget about getting paid the generous amount of cash you normally would be. I could speak to one of my students about hiring you on as protection. It wouldn't be legit, but at least you'd know you'll be making a difference. Meanwhile, I can work on getting my company to sign you on as a serious worker, and hopefully give you access to serious cases."

"Well, it's never been about the money, Digg."

"I know, which is exactly why I'm proposing the idea to you."

Oliver took a moment to consider it all, finally nodding in agreement. "Okay, I'm in."

* * *

About a week later, Oliver had finally gotten word from Diggle. He had told him the day that they trained that he would speak with his students about protection. Oliver managed to prevent himself from contacting Diggle in the meantime, not wanting to do anything that would make him rethink the efforts he was making to help him. Bugging Diggle about it would only come off as him not having patience, which he knew was something he needed to work on. Patience was a big part of his potential job.

Diggle called him early in the morning, requesting they meet for breakfast to discuss Oliver's future. He gave nothing away in the phone call, so Oliver really had no idea what to expect. He simply agreed to meet him at Big Belly Burger in fifteen, and took off in one of his cars.

The drive took him ten minutes since the streets were empty, and he wasn't surprised to see that Diggle still beat him there. His car was parked in one of the slots in front of the door, and Oliver pulled up next to it. There were a few others in the lot, but overall it was pretty bare. He walked into the little diner, spotting Diggle in a booth near the back. He slid in across from him, trying to read Diggle's expression for a hint of what to expect.

He didn't get anything.

"You're early," Diggle commented, setting the menu that was in his hands onto the table.

Oliver nodded slowly. "Is that a problem?"

"No, just surprising is all. I can't remember you ever being early. That's good though. The clients like punctuality."

Oliver couldn't argue with Diggle about his old habit of being tardy. Before the island, time had no meaning to him. Showing up late came naturally, and he walked around with the mindset that people should appreciate the fact he showed up at all. He lost too much of his life to spend his time unappreciated. Being late was no longer an option for him.

"Wait," Oliver said, brain finally processing what Diggle had just told him. "The clients? Are you saying that…?"

"Yes, Oliver. I found you a client."

Oliver would have thrust his fist in the air if it wasn't such a corny thing to do. This was the best news he could have gotten. Suddenly, he was one step closer to leading a life that he wouldn't regret; of leading a life that he would be proud of. Diggle gave him a smile, waiting for his excitement to die down.

"Okay, well tell me who it is. I want to know everything," Oliver urged.

Diggle extended a hand, dimming Oliver's crazed excitement some. "I can't tell you much. She prefers to tell you herself."

"So, it's a girl?"

Diggle gave him a knowing look. "Oliver, I know all about your past involving women. You can screw every women in Starling City if you want, but leave your client alone. You do not cross that line, you got it?"

Oliver scoffed, crossing his arms in defiance. "Diggle, that's not who I am anymore. I was only asking because I expected you to assign me to a male client."

Diggle looked doubtful for second, but then conceded. "That's good to hear. Now, her name is Felicity Smoak. She's twenty-five years old and is an only child. She's from Las Vegas, Nevada, where her mom, Donna Smoak, currently lives."

Oliver took all of the information in. "What about her father?"

Diggle shook his head. "I'm sorry, Oliver. That's all I can tell you."

Frustrated with the lack of information, Oliver gave Diggle a heated look. "Can you at least tell me when I start?"

"She'd prefer it if you can start as soon as possible. I told her I'd give you a few days to get your things together."

"My things?" Oliver repeated.

"Yeah, you'll be staying with Ms. Smoak until she no longer needs your protection." Diggle gave him a look like he should have known this. "Oliver, you didn't think that you'd be protecting her from your home, did you?"

"No, but…" Oliver trailed off, thinking about how to explain to Diggle what his thought process had been without coming off as a total idiot. "I just thought that she'd call me whenever she needed me or something."

"It's going to be nothing like that. You will remain by her side at all times," Diggle told him, voice serious. "That won't be a problem, will it?"

"No," Oliver quickly assured. "I'll have my things together by tonight."

Diggle nodded at him in approval. "Okay, and I hate to ask about this, but I know what it's like to go through something traumatic, Oliver. So, how are your nightmares? Are you sleeping through the night again?"

Oliver knew that his answer to this question could affect the rest of his life. He knew he shouldn't have, but he lied. "Yeah, I'm sleeping through most nights. Nightmares are rare for me now."

"Good." Diggle smiled, growing serious again. "I told her I trusted you with her situation more than anyone. Don't make me a liar, Oliver."

Oliver was touched that Diggle had invested that much faith in him. He wouldn't dare think of doing anything to ever jeopardize Diggle's reputation. If this Felicity person believed that he was one of the best, then he would be.

"I won't, Diggle. You have my word on that."

* * *

 **A/N: Please leave a review! I really want to know your thoughts on this first chapter. I worked really hard on writing this, and I had to re-write everything after I lost it due to a problem with my flash drive. I'd love to know if there are people interested in this, because I know exactly how things are going to play out, and I'm really excited for it. So please, let me know your thoughts! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, and encouraged me on the first chapter! You guys are awesome!**

 **I'll just answer all of the questions at once since it would take too long to state who asked each individual question. Felicity's dad will not be in this story, since he really doesn't have any contribution to my plot. There will be no superheros in this fic. Oliver has been back from the island for nearly a year, but I have not decided on a specific amount of time yet. Diggle was Oliver's bodyguard before the island.**

 **This story was not named after the song by the Killers. I'd actually never heard that one until the comment. This story is actually named after the song by Electric Guest. They are awesome, and I felt like the name of the song would fit my story.**

 **Any other questions should be answered in this chapter, or I'm just not ready for you to know the answers to them yet :)**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Oliver tossed another dress shirt into his luggage, sighing as he took a break on the edge of the bed. The past few days had been filled with Diggle giving him the most basic knowledge on how to be a bodyguard. They didn't have enough time to go into extreme detail, but Oliver knew what he had to.

So far, Oliver had learned that when on the job, dressing formal is always a requirement. Not that he didn't think he looked great in a suit, but dressing formally was one of his least favorite things to do. Ties tended to feel like hands around his neck, for some reason. Next, Diggle taught him how to handle a firearm - and how to hide one - quickly learning they could skip that step when Oliver proved he had far better aim and accuracy than him. There were a lot of little things in-between about privacy, personal issues, and several other helpful topics.

A sudden rap on his door had Oliver turning around to see Thea standing there. He smiled, beckoning her in.

"So, I guess you're going through with it. You really are leaving," she observed, not bothering to hide the bitterness in her tone.

He nodded regretfully, standing to be closer to her. "Diggle got me a job at this facility that I know I'll be making a difference at. The distance is going to be a problem if I stay here, but I'm not leaving Starling City, Thea."

When he had broken the news to his sister and his mom earlier about him moving out, they were anything but thrilled. He spun them some lie about getting a job offer at some volunteer Army-related training facility, not wanting them to worry about him participating in such a dangerous job. He didn't know Felicity Smoak's situation. For all he knew, he could be walking out onto his deathbed. Although, he figured it wouldn't be that bad. Diggle would never assign him to a case that would be too intense for a newbie.

He worried about paparazzi, even though he hadn't been on their radar ever since they learned he'd shed his pre-island tendencies. They only ever showed interest in his bad moments, all of his hard work and accomplishments since his return boring them. As long as he stayed out of trouble, and stayed a respectable distance away from Felicity in public, then he wouldn't have a problem.

When she heard his news about leaving, Oliver's mother had gone off on yet another rant of how she didn't understand why he just couldn't take over at Queen Consolidated. It took some arguing, but in the end she told him he had her support, and went off to bed. Thea had remained quiet, heading straight to her room and ignoring the many times he'd called after her. Seeing her in his room now made him happy, despite the anger he knew to expect.

"I don't understand why you just couldn't take over at the company."

"Because I need to be making a difference, Thea. I need to be helping someone out."

"Then donate to a charity," she suggested, and he could see the hurt behind her eyes. "I just got you back, Ollie. You can't leave again."

He sighed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his chest. "I don't want to leave you, okay? This is just something that I have to do."

"The mansion is going to feel so empty without you in it," she murmured, making him smile.

"You're never here anyway," he pointed out. "You're always with that Ron kid."

She rolled her eyes, knowing that he'd said his name wrong on purpose like he always did. "First of all, it's _Roy_ , and second of all, he makes me happy."

Oliver pulled away, giving her a larger smile. "Good. All I ever want is for you to be happy, Thea. Even if I'm on the other side of Starling City, just know that your happiness will always come first for me, okay?"

"Okay, Ollie," she agreed, taking a few steps back and shifting in that way that told him something else was on her mind. He was about to question her about it, when she said exactly what was bugging her. "You're still going to come to my birthday party though, right?"

He sighed, not sure if that was an option at this point. "I'm going to try my hardest," he promised.

She accepted his answer, giving him a smile that didn't looked as forced as he would have suspected. "So… do you need any help packing?"

"You know what? I think I've got it all done." He glanced at her. "Want to put on a movie and eat raw cookie dough?"

She nodded eagerly at their tradition, her whole face lighting up. "I'll go fix the lights and get the movie set up."

He chuckled. "Okay, Speedy. I'll be down in a second."

He watched her leave, still smiling. As he made his way over to his luggage, he pulled the last zipper up. There were two other bags next to it, one filled with more clothes, and the other filled with personal items; things that would remind him of home. He repeated what he had told Thea over and over again in his head. As much as he hated to leave, this was what he needed to do.

* * *

It was a couple days later – a Friday, to be exact – when Oliver packed his bags into his car, and waved goodbye to his mother and sister. There had been an alarmingly mild amount of tears, for which he was grateful for. They both wished him their best, watching him drive until he disappeared from sight.

Diggle had called him the night before with Felicity's address, telling him that because of his class the next day, he wouldn't be able to tag along with Oliver to meet Felicity. Oliver told him it was no big deal, and that he would manage on his own. However, he was a little worried. He tended to make horrible first impressions, and Diggle's presence would have really eased his nerves.

After their conversation at the diner, Oliver had looked up Felicity Smoak. A couple images of a woman with dark black hair accepting awards and trophies popped up, but Oliver had no way of determining if it were his client or not. There were a few articles about technological achievement in there as well, and Oliver couldn't help but be disappointed. He never got along well with highly intelligent people.

Well, there was Laurel. But, see how well that worked out?

Felicity lived in one of the nicer parts of Starling City, in an apartment complex that felt familiar to Oliver for some reason he couldn't quite place. He was just thankful she didn't live in the Glades, considering the crime rating in that area. He wasn't even sure he would be able to make it to her door, if that had been the case. People in that area of town didn't exactly appreciate how he chose to spend his abundance of money.

After about thirty minutes of mindless driving, Oliver finally made it to her complex. He drove slowly, searching the sides of the buildings for the apartment number that belonged to her. It was near the back, and he pulled into an uncovered spot directly across from it. After a quick inner pep-talk and a debate about whether or not to wait on bringing his luggage in, he made it out of his car.

Oliver ran a hand over his suit, looking twice before crossing the street. Surprisingly, there weren't any cars driving by or kids roaming the streets. Not that it would have be a bad thing. He just knew that those were the sort of things to expect from an apartment complex. He decided that it must just be a really adult complex, and walked the three flights of stairs that led to her door. Hers was the first one in the hallway, and he double-checked the instructions Diggle gave him three times before knocking.

The seconds leading up to her opening the door were torture for Oliver. He tore away at his own self-confidence, convincing himself that this was all a terrible idea. He thought that he should have just waited until Diggle was available to accompany him to the meeting. He thought that she would take one look at him, and realize that he was a joke. Most of all, he was expecting an uptight, goth-looking woman to answer his knock, snickering at him until she soundlessly invited him in.

Nothing prepared him for what actually happened.

The door swung open to reveal a blonde woman, hair pulled back into a ponytail, glasses perched upon her nose. She was smiling, her lips standing out to him due to the bright shade of red they were painted. She was wearing a light pink dress with little flowers dotting it. She was basically happiness all wrapped around one person.

"Felicity Smoak?" he questioned, absolutely convinced he had the wrong door.

Her eager nod is what turned those suspicions down. "You must be Oliver. I mean, Mr. Queen," she quickly corrected, shaking her head in self-scolding. "John sent you, right? I mean, Mr. Diggle. Actually, no, I mean John. I've never called him Mr. Diggle before. I've called him Diggle before though. Just no mister."

He remained quiet through what seemed like a ramble, trying to get a read on the kind of person she was. After a couple minutes of standing out in the hallway, listening to her chat a mile a minute, he was stumped. He couldn't possible imagine why a girl like her needed protection. She didn't give off a vibe that she had done something that could ever piss people off to the extent that she feared for her own life.

"Is it okay if I come in?" he asked, waiting for her to suck in a breath between sentences before he spoke.

She flushed, stepping to the side. "I am so sorry. Of course you can come in. I tend to ramble sometimes when I'm nervous. Not that I'm nervous or anything. It's just that you weren't what I was expecting. Well, John did tell me that Oliver Queen would be my bodyguard, but I didn't think he meant _the_ Oliver Queen."

His lips twitched involuntarily as he made his way in. "How many Oliver Queens do you know, Ms. Smoak?"

She shrugged. "Just you, but I didn't think you would ever… I just never saw you as the bodyguard type."

"I was always the one with the bodyguards," he agreed. "Everyone else would have assumed the same thing. It's totally fine if you don't feel comfortable with me doing this. Diggle wouldn't mind finding you someone more suited for the job, though this is kind of a volunteer thing, and I'm not too sure if anyone else will offer a deal like this."

"I wasn't trying to say that I thought you couldn't handle a job like this. In fact, I was saying the opposite. I think that your extensive past involving bodyguards will make you the perfect person for this job. You'll know exactly what to do."

Oliver looked at her, blinking. He was surprised, that was for sure. A stranger had never known of his history and assumed something positive about him. He didn't know what to say, but as he was quickly learning, Felicity did.

"Did you bring anything with you?"

He nodded, focusing himself once again. "Yeah, the bags are in my trunk. I can just grab them later, though."

"Okay," she agreed, stepping further into the house. "Well, why don't I give you the grand tour?"

"Sounds good."

She smiled, clasping her fingers together as she led him through her house. She had a large living room, decorated with matching furniture. Her kitchen was nice, stocked with more food than one person needed. The house had two rooms total, the one that belonged to her containing the bathroom. The other bathroom was at the end of the hallway, right next to the second room.

Felicity opened the door to the second room, ushering Oliver inside. The walls were a cream color, and a bed with dark blue linens was centered in the space. There was a dresser against the wall across from his bed, with a flat screen on top of it. In one corner was a lamp, and right next to the bed was a nightstand. The closet was across from a window in the room, looking like it would more than fit the clothes he brought along with him. Overall, it was a pretty spacious room.

"Here is your room," she needlessly explained, glancing around. "You can change it however you'd like."

He shook his head. "No, it's fine. It looks nice."

"Thank you. I decorated it myself."

He smiled, thankful that she had finally calmed down enough to stop rambling. Still there was something comforting he felt about the fact that she was more nervous than he was. Another smaller part of him thought her rambling was cute. He wouldn't mind hearing her ramble again. Diggle's warning popped into his head about relationships with clients, and just like that, he was back to professionalism.

"So, Diggle didn't tell me much about you," he started, fixing her with a curious look.

Her face blanked. "Yeah, I told him not to."

"And why is that, Ms. Smoak?"

"Call me Felicity please," she urged. "'Ms. Smoak' makes me feel like my mother."

He nodded. "Okay. Why is that, Felicity?"

She cleared her throat, pushing her glasses farther up her nose. "I just prefer to explain my situation to you myself. I want you to be perfectly clear on what's going on, and I don't want any of the details to get messed up."

He processed her words, deciding that it did make sense. "Well, if I'm going to be your bodyguard, you're going to need to give me the whole story."

"Why don't you get a feel for the place first?" she suggested, continuing before he could object. "I'll make us some tea. Wait, does anyone even drink that anymore? I'll just get us some lemonade."

She was gone before he could say anything else, leaving him alone in the surprisingly comfy room. He allowed himself a minute to reflect on the last five minutes of his life. He had met the woman that he would be spending nearly every minute of every day with for as long as she needed, and she had turned out to be the exact opposite of what he'd expected. He was thankful she wasn't stuck up or snobby. From as far as he could tell, he was going to get along with her well enough.

He was curious, though. She seemed to be dodging his request for her to explain her situation to him. He knew she couldn't avoid the topic for much longer, but he still felt a sense of uneasiness about it. For some reason, he had a feeling her situation hit close to home. That was a perfect explanation as for why she was having trouble telling him.

Or at least, that was one explanation.

After Felicity left him in what would be his room for the time being, he took a look around the space. He had more than enough room, and it was decorated in a way that wouldn't drive him insane like he had originally imagined. His feet took him down the hall once he'd had has fill of inspecting his room, his eyes skimming over the pictures Felicity had hanging on the wall.

There were a few of her and an older woman that Oliver assumed was her mom. One was of her receiving an award, the same one Oliver had seen on the internet. He guessed that she dyed her hair, filing that information away in his brain. The last picture hanging up was of Felicity and another blonde woman.

Sara.

"That's a really bad picture of me," Felicity stated, causing Oliver to swiftly turn around and face her. "I only hung it up because the girl in the photo next to me said she looked good."

"Sara," Oliver acknowledged. "I wasn't aware that you knew her."

"She's actually the girl that introduced me to John," Felicity informed him. "I was in Oblivion one night, and she was the one pouring my drinks since she's a bartender... but I'm sure you already knew that. Anyways, it was right after I realized I needed protection, and she told me she knew a guy who could help. I guess her girlfriend, Nyssa, also teaches self-defense classes with Diggle. They're pretty close from what Sara tells me."

Oliver was aware of the close bond between Diggle and Sara's girlfriend, having spoken about it with him one time. Right now, he was more focused on Felicity's relationship with Sara. Their background definitely intrigued him, and proved the 'small world' theory to be true.

"Oh, so that's how you met her?"

Felicity shook her head. "No, I actually met her several years back. She was my neighbor."

Suddenly, things started to make sense to Oliver. That was why Felicity's apartment complex had looked familiar to him. He remembered driving out here when Sara was a resident, accompanying Laurel for one of their drinking nights. It also made sense to him now as to why Sara always mentioned going out with a friend he wouldn't know. She must have been referring to Felicity the whole time.

"Do you want to go in the kitchen?" she asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. "The lighting is much better."

"Sure," he agreed, following her all the way to the table. "Thanks for the lemonade."

She watched as he lifted the glass to his lips, looking away quickly. "It's no problem. I usually keep my fridge stocked with the stuff, so feel free to drink as much as you want. In fact, if you see something in there, don't hesitate to take it."

"That's very generous of you, Felicity."

She lifted a shoulder. "It's the least I can do after what you're doing for me."

"I'm honored to be helping you out," he told her, receiving a more than doubtful look. "I don't want you to feel like you owe me anything. You're the one doing me the favor."

"Really? How's that?" she questioned, looking genuinely confused.

He leaned back. "Well, after I returned home, I realized that I wanted to be doing something with my life. Helping someone became my main focus, and you're giving me an opportunity to do what I want with my life. Without you, I'd probably be sitting at home right now, contemplating taking that job at QC."

"I'm happy to have helped then." She smiled at him, and he couldn't help but return it. There was a long pass of silence, where she seemed to be studying him. Then she spoke again, her eyes squinted slightly out of seriousness. "The island… it changed you, didn't it?"

His lips parted, surprised by her question. No one had ever asked him about the island. Well, no one besides his doctor and his family. His friends had chosen to keep their questions to themselves, which he appreciated. But now Felicity, someone who had just met minutes ago, was already questioning him about it.

…And he wanted to tell her.

Well, not everything. In fact, he found it hard to even think about his time away. She was the first person to make him want to share even a small shred of what happened to him though. He decided it was because she was a genuinely nice person who didn't know him on a personal level. Yeah, that made sense.

"Oh God, I am so sorry," she apologized, covering her mouth. "Sometimes I just say things without thinking about the consequences. You may have noticed that. You don't have to tell me anything. I'll mind my own business from now on."

"I don't talk about it," he said, and her blush deepened.

"Of course you don't," she nodded, biting her lower lip in a cringe. "I'm not your mom or your sister-"

"I don't talk about it _with anyone_ ," he clarified, bringing her rambling to an abrupt stop.

Her body straightened. "Oh," she whispered. "Well, you can, if you want. I'm willing to listen. No judgment here, I promise."

He stared at her longer than he probably should have, but he couldn't look away. He was trying to read her. He didn't even notice the small smile that had made its way onto his lips.

"Thank you, Felicity." He placed his hand on her shoulder to express his sincerity. "I'll keep that in mind."

She let out a breath of air, clapping her hands together nervously all of a sudden. That broke them out of whatever spell they had been under, and he moved away a few steps. The air was definitely a little tense, and he was unsure of what to do with himself now. He took another drink of his lemonade, watching her from the corner of his eye. She remained quiet.

"Um, so why don't you tell me why I'm here?" he suggested, polishing off the glass.

She gestured towards it. "You sure you don't want a refill first?"

He shook his head, not giving her the opportunity to blow off telling him again. "No, I'm good for now."

She looked like she got the message that she wasn't getting out of it this time, and pointed towards her living room. "Why don't we talk in there?"

"Okay," he easily agreed, letting her lead the way to the couch.

He took a seat against one of the armrests, while she sat as far away from him as possible on the other side of the couch. He didn't comment on it, instead brushing it off. She was his client, after all. There was no reason she should be sitting close to him. She cleared her throat, indicating that she was about to start speaking.

"How much did Diggle tell you?" she asked, and he was thankful he had memorized what scarce information was given to him about her.

"Not much," Oliver decided. "I know you're twenty-five, an only child, born in Las Vegas, Nevada, where your mom lives at the moment."

She nodded, processing his words. "Good, he told you exactly what I told him to."

"And I'm hoping you could tell me a whole lot more. I need to know everything if I'm going to be your bodyguard."

"Well, I'll just assume you don't know anything about me, which is basically the case already," she started, with a nervous laugh she tried to cover up with a cough. "I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. My mom was basically running a casino where she had a close relationship to the owner. He didn't have a family, and he was too old to handle everything on his own. When he died, he left the casino to my mom."

"That's a hell of a parting gift," he commented, hearing her snicker at his words.

"That's what I thought. My mom, however, thought it was sweet and decided to take charge of running it for real. It grew in profits from then to now. I chose not to pay attention to the strangers that were constantly coming in and out of my life to make business arrangements with my mom. I chose to focus on school so that way when the time came, I could get the hell out of there."

Oliver couldn't help but clench his jaw at the thought of how tough Felicity's life had been. No one deserved to grow up in an environment like that.

"I'm sorry, Felicity."

"It's not as bad as it sounds," she assured, that doing nothing to put his concern at ease. "At least we always had money. Actually, we had a lot of it. _Have_ a lot of it. Not enough for me to hire a bodyguard - because apparently it takes a lot of money for a stranger to put their life in danger for you - but a lot. I mean, not as much as you, but... Well, you get the picture."

"Money isn't everything," he pointed out, not agreeing that her abundance of money made up for a life of neglect. "I would rather have had my parent's love and attention than an endless bank account."

She looked down, raising her shoulders weakly. "At least we got one of the two."

He swallowed. There was something so raw about her words. He wondered to himself how their conversation had taken this turn. He wondered why he had the urge to hug her and assure her that things would get better now that he was there to protect her. Instead, he remembered he now had a job to do; one without hugging. He couldn't care for her in any other way than professionally. Growing attached to her would only compromise her, and there was no way he was going to do that.

"Tell me how you got into this place where you need protection," he demanded, making her back straighten as she realized any connection they'd had was brushed away.

"It may come as a surprise to you, but my mother and I didn't get along too well. We fought a lot, and I normally turned to my friends to get me through the tough times. I always made up with my mom in the end, which is why once I moved to Starling City, I still planned yearly trips out there to visit her for a weekend. About a month ago, I went out there for one of those trips. That's when I got myself into this mess."

He stared at her, taking every word in. "So, the people who are targeting you are from Las Vegas?"

"Yes, but they have people everywhere," she informed him, helping him understand her fear further.

"Okay, continue, Felicity."

"So, I went up to Vegas, and stayed with my mom. She was supposed to take the weekend off so that we could spend it together. Instead, she was at the casino the whole time. I was pissed at her, so I went to meet up with some of my old friends. They decided that we should go to some of her rival casinos to make her mad. Being around casinos my whole life, I learned how to count cards. My friends convinced me to do just that, thinking it would be funny. I was drunk, so I agreed. It was all fun and games… Until I walked into the wrong casino."

"Your friends don't sound like very good friends," Oliver commented, unable to help having some sort of response to her story.

"At least they were always there," she justified, continuing on with the story when he stayed quiet. "So, I went into the casino, doing my thing. They all stood by to watch, egging me on in a way that probably wasn't so subtle. Before I knew what was going on, two large men were asking me to go with them. I turned around, and my friends were gone. Left without a choice, I followed the men to the back. They took me to the owner, who questioned me about counting cards. I tried to deny it, but he knew what I had done. He said he was going to have to hurt me a little so that I learned my lesson."

Oliver felt his fists clench, her eyes moving up to meet his. She saw the anger in his eyes, her lips parting in a gasp. Oliver didn't like the idea of men hurting any woman. The fact that they would hurt Felicity, a woman that it took him less than a second to see how pure and good she was, angered him in a way he didn't think was possible. He wasn't an idiot. He could read between the lines of what that man intended to do to her. Yeah, it was definitely not something he could shrug off. He snapped out of his hatred when he felt the cushion next to him dip.

Felicity had scooted closer to him.

"It's okay," she whispered, her voice soothing him somehow.

His eyebrows furrowed as he watched her, his anger starting to blow away. Her presence - so close to him, he could feel her body heat clashing with his own - was somehow soothing away his fury. What the hell was happening to him?

"They didn't hurt me," she told him. "I got away. I had a can of pepper spray in my purse that I pulled out on him. While he was hurt, I jumped out the window and got a cab home. I waited for my mom to come home, and told her what happened. She already knew."

"Your mom… she knew these men?" he questioned.

"Yes, all the casino owners know each other. She told me the only reason I wasn't dead already was because I was her daughter. Those guys aren't exactly known for letting things like that slide. People who've wronged them have ended up dead, without any proof that they'd been behind it. My mom told me that she couldn't hold them off forever, and that I was going to need protection. The only way I was going to get it, was if I stayed in Vegas, with her."

"Which you didn't do," he said, finally understanding why she needed him.

"Which I didn't do," she confirmed. "I couldn't stay there. I worked so hard to leave that place… I wasn't just going to drop everything and move back there. So, I left. I assured her that they wouldn't find me in Starling City. Just in case though, I started taking self-defense classes with Diggle. Then, about a couple weeks ago, my mom called me and told me that they hadn't forgotten about me. I knew I needed protection once they made their first attack on me."

"They attacked you?"

"Well, it was more like a threat," she corrected. "I got a package at work. Inside were chips from the casino."

"Where do you work?"

"You don't know?" She let out a laugh. "Uh, this might sound a little strange, but I work at Queen Consolidated."

"You work at my company?" he questioned. "Diggle didn't say anything."

She shrugged. "He probably didn't think it was worth mentioning. You're never there, and there was no chance I would ever run into you."

"And why is that?"

"I work in the IT Department," she answered, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I _worked_ in the IT Department. I quit after I got the package."

"Felicity-" he started, being interrupted by her.

"It's okay, Oliver. I have more than enough money to last on for a good while. I worked because I enjoyed it."

"You can't let them take away something you love," he told her. "I'll get you your job back. I won't leave your side at work. You won't have to worry."

She smiled at his words, but shook her head. "Diggle told me your family doesn't know what you're doing. I wouldn't ask you to start guarding me at your company."

He sighed, realizing the holes that were in his idea now. He couldn't risk Thea or his mother finding out what he was doing. If they knew the danger he was in, they would never let him go through with it. And there was no way he was backing away now. Felicity needed his help, and she was going to get it.

"Oliver, I don't need to be working yet. I'll find another hobby. Besides, your company isn't the only one I can work for doing the thing I love. There are plenty of other tech departments that might need my assistance."

"I'm sure that's very true, Felicity."

She gave him a small smile, his words obviously meaning something to her. Their eyes remained locked for a few seconds, until she cleared her throat and got to her feet. His eyes followed her up, rising as well.

"You should probably go get your things from the trunk. It's getting pretty late out," she told him, gesturing towards her front door.

"Good idea," he replied, stepping around her but not missing the way she tensed up.

So, he traveled back downstairs, approaching his car. He managed to get all of his things up in only two trips, tossing everything into his temporary room. Slowly, he began to unpack his things. Most of it went into his closet, and he tucked some things away in the dresser across from his bed. Checking that the curtains were drawn - even though Felicity lived on the third floor - he hid the licensed gun Diggle had given him to use for emergencies only behind the back of the headboard. He placed a few picture frames on the nightstand by his bed, smiling at the happy memories that past through him.

A small knock on his door drew him back, and he glanced behind him to see Felicity standing there. He looked over at the clock, surprised by the time that was displayed on the tiny screen. Almost two hours had gone by. The fact that he had finished packing was the only reason he wasn't concerned about his losing track of time.

Felicity had a nervous look on her face, making Oliver curious. He stepped closer to her, giving her a small smile to show that she had nothing to be nervous about.

"Hey, I'm sorry to disturb you," she apologized, making him furrow his brows.

"Felicity, you are not disturbing me," he assured. "This is your house, remember?"

She nodded. "I know. But I want you to have your space, too, you know?"

He shrugged. "I kind of gave up that right when I started this job. I don't want you to ever hesitate to just barge into my room for whatever reason. In fact, how about I keep the door open at all times? You'll have twenty-four hour access to me."

That got the laugh he wanted out of her, easing the tension out of the room. "That really isn't necessary. I'm not planning on keeping you holed up in the house all day either. If you want to go out and hang with some friends, feel free to do so," she urged.

"I think that might get me fired."

She put her index finger to her lips quickly, lowering her voice. "I won't tell if you don't."

And just for a split second, he wanted to know what else he could do without the thought of his job on the line. His eyes had focused in on her lips, peering longingly at the slight glimmer they held from whatever lip gloss she had applied earlier. Attraction like this wasn't possible, was it? He snapped out of it before she could notice and let out a fake chuckle.

"Thanks for being so flexible about this. I'll admit that I really had no idea that this job required me to move in with my client. Not that I regret doing this, because I don't. I just wish I didn't have to be away from my family, which, as you probably know - considering it was literally everywhere - I just returned after being separated from them for five years. Well, 'just returned' meaning almost a year ago. Still, I had already gotten used to seeing them everyday, and leaving again really hurt."

She listened to what he said, seeming to be considering his words. He liked that she was paying attention to what he had to say. It was nice.

"That must have been really hard for you to do. My mom and I were never really close, but it still hurt when I left for MIT. I can't even imagine what leaving a second time is doing to you."

He smiled. "It helps that you're really great." She blushed, making his smile grow. "And it's not that bad yet. Knowing that I can actually communicate with them on a daily basis is really easing my nerves about it all."

"Good." She shifted, pointing a thumb towards the end of the hallway where the kitchen was. "I made some food if you're interested. You don't have to eat if you don't want to. I mean, of course you have to eat. It's the only way you'll survive. I just meant that you don't have to eat what I made. You can eat anything you want from the pantry or fridge or whatever. Or, if you want to go pick something up, that's totally fine, too."

He let out a breathy laugh, trying not to focus too hard on how adorable he found her rambling. "Felicity, I'm sure whatever you made is perfect."

She smiled, walking back towards the kitchen. He followed her, knowing she was biting her tongue in an attempt to keep from babbling again. As he walked into the kitchen, he saw a plate of food she obviously had to have some sort of cooking skills to create. Sitting at the table, he glanced around the kitchen. She sat down across from him, eyes focusing on anything but him.

"You like to cook, don't you?" he observed, spotting the apron she had hanging on a hook by the oven.

"What would make you think that?" she asked, genuinely curious.

He pointed at the apron. "Most people who didn't at least enjoy cooking wouldn't bother buying an apron."

"Maybe I just don't like getting my clothes dirty."

He nodded, lips twitching. "Fair enough."

He was going to drop it, but then she dropped her napkin onto the table, sticking to the topic. "I'm sorry. Yeah, I do enjoy cooking. And that apron is really lame, so I'll just apologize ahead of time for when you have to see me in it. I tend to wear it a lot, and it was a gift from my mom after I got this apartment."

He gave her a look. "What's wrong with your apron?"

"Uh, there's a computer sewn onto it," she murmured, and he raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, it's lame. I know."

"Actually, I think it's cool. You like cooking, you like computers, why not combine the two?"

She stared at him, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Exactly."

He shrugged, taking a bite from his plate. "Personally, I think you're an excellent cook. I've never cooked a thing in my life. I couldn't tell you how to turn on an oven."

"Cooking's my thing. I'm sure you have your own. You can't be good at everything, you know?"

And once again, she'd taken him by surprise by not assuming the worst from him. "Yeah, I do."

They stared at each other, then she straightened. "So, I was thinking we could go check out this hiking trail Diggle recommended in the morning. Then, Sara and I have plans to meet for lunch, and I'm sure she'd be glad to see you. I haven't told her about our situation yet, so that should be fun."

He let out a breathy laugh. "That sounds great, Felicity."

And it really did. Maybe being a bodyguard would come with some unexpected perks.

* * *

 **A/N: So after reading this chapter, you might have realized that I am totally jumping into the Oliver x Felicity friendship. I did this purposefully, because I didn't want to drag anything out too long. Also, it's the reason I started the story about a year after Oliver's return. He isn't as broody and guarded as he is in the beginning of the show.**

 **I didn't want Oliver's main conflict in this story to be about letting Felicity in. There is obviously an instant connection between the two that Oliver considers platonic (at the moment). I wanted to make his conflict the promise he made to Diggle not to cross any lines with Felicity. That is something he'll struggle with, especially after spending more and more time with her.**

 **Next chapter is featuring an appearance from Sara, who'll be a major character in this story. Leave a review if you want more! ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** **Any How I Met Your Mother fans out there? If so, you'll understand my reference when I say that Sara and Felicity will have a Lily x Robin relationship. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, Lily and Robin are best friends who are both really comfortable around each other. Lily has a sort of hidden attraction to Robin that is a major reoccurring gag** **throughout the show. Nothing ever really happens between the two, but it's hilarious and fun to watch. Obviously, Sara will be the 'Lily' in this situation ;D**

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

Oliver woke up to the smell of coffee in the air. It was early, even for him. Felicity was very clearly awake, and he crawled out of bed, impressed by the fact that she was up before him. He didn't know why, but he took her as someone who'd love to sleep in.

He slept in his shirt, self-conscious of his scars now that he was around someone who wasn't direct family. He knew he shouldn't feel ashamed, but they weren't exactly something he was proud of. He didn't want her to know just how damaged he was. That sent his mind to his nightmares, which he'd definitely had the night before. They weren't as bad as they usually were, so he was hoping she didn't hear anything.

Stepping out of his room, he caught sight of her in the kitchen, standing over the counter. Her back was to him, giving him the perfect opportunity to scan her over. He couldn't help himself even if he wanted to. His eyes processed every inch of her, his heart rate increasing the deeper he sunk into his thoughts. He'd seen girls dress the way she was hundreds of times before, but it looked better on her.

 _So_ _much better._

She had on a purple sports bra, with black yoga pants that clung to her perfectly. She was fit, yet curvy at the same time. Her hair was swept up into a high ponytail, her shoes drawing her whole outfit together. He could tell when she turned her head to the side slightly that she'd forgone her glasses, and he figured she must use contacts occasionally. God, she was literally gorgeous in anything. The thought was fleeting because she'd suddenly spun around, facing him.

"Oh, Oliver," she acknowledged, smiling. "I didn't hear you come in."

He smiled sheepishly, mentally cursing himself for standing there like a creep. "Yeah, I just woke up. Have you been awake long?"

She frowned, shaking her head. "No, maybe about thirty minutes. I had to make sure I had time for my morning coffee. You want a cup? I made extra for you just in case."

"Um, sure," he accepted, approaching her.

The fact that she'd made extra coffee just for him was really sweet. Normally, people wouldn't have cared less about including him in on something like that. He only got what he asked for - not that it was something to complain about, but that quickly got old - and here Felicity was, including him in on something that was clearly a tradition for her.

"...I wish I could wake up like that," she was saying, and he snapped out of his thoughts.

"What?"

She flushed, and he stepped closer, curious as to what was going on. "I didn't- I just mean that- I mean, you wake up looking incredible, and it takes me a long time to even be presentable when I wake up. I only meant that you're lucky you get to wake up looking so-" She flushed again, clearing her throat. "I think I should just stop talking now."

He tried to fight back his grin, taking the coffee cup intended for him from her hands. "Thank you, Felicity."

Bringing the coffee to his lips, he took a small sip. It was good, and he'd never really been a fan of coffee. He probably should start drinking it though, considering the amount of time he'd need to spend on alert for this job. He basically chugged most of it down, ignoring the burning in his throat. Backing away to start getting dressed for the hike, he stopped at the sound of her voice.

"I ramble when I'm nervous," she blurted, and he turned back around.

"I know. You told me yesterday," he reminded her.

"Right," she remembered. "I just thought that I should remind you in case you started to think I do it all the time. I promise you I am not always that annoying."

He knit his brows together, finding the idea absolutely absurd. "Felicity, I don't think your rambling is annoying."

"You don't?"

He shook his head. "Of course not."

She opened her mouth as if she were about to say something else, then pressed her lips together. "Thanks, Oliver."

"No problem," he responded, setting his coffee cup on the table, and heading for his room.

It took him about five minutes to get ready, since he only changed his outfit into a pair of shorts and a grey t-shirt. Felicity was still in the kitchen when he came back out, checking something on her laptop. She shut it once she saw him, getting to her feet. He saw her grab two water bottles from off the table, thankful she'd thought to bring them.

"You ready?"

He nodded, grabbing the keys from the table. "Yeah, let's go."

They got into her car, with him driving, and she instructed him towards the mountain. She'd never been there herself, so she had to find directions with her phone since he was unfamiliar with the mountain as well. It was about twenty minutes before they reached the mountain, and Oliver was relieved to see that it wasn't that packed.

The mountain did look challenging, so the only people there were the ones who cared about nothing more than fitness. Most likely, there wouldn't be anyone who was concerned about Oliver Queen hiking a mountain with a cute blonde woman. The paparazzi were something he worried about, but he figured if he didn't do anything worth getting photographed, then nothing would happen.

Plus, he planned on wearing sunglasses whenever he was outside, which would mask his identity somewhat.

As he parked the car, he pulled out his sunglasses, putting them on. He grabbed his water bottle out of the cup holder. He couldn't help but notice that Felicity left hers, and walked around the car to question her about it.

"Aren't you going to take your water bottle?" he asked.

"Uh, it's fine. I'll just get sick of holding it and probably end up dropping it down the mountain or something."

He eyed her skeptically. "You sure?"

She nodded, and he conceded, trusting her judgement. Slowly, they trekked up the mountain, discovering just how difficult it was going to be early on. The mountain was entirely incline, except for stopping points thickly separated along the trail where the ground evened out. Gradually, they increased in pace, Felicity seeming to be determined to make it to the top. Oliver had gone through brutal things to get his body at the point it was at right now, and even he was growing exhausted.

How Felicity managed to keep going as long as she did, he had no clue.

It wasn't until they reached a resting point about three-fourths of the way up the mountain did Felicity show any sign of weakness. She hunched over, breathing labored as she gripped her thighs. Oliver held his hands at his hips, breathing loudly as well. His shirt was soaked through with sweat, and he was tempted to take it off despite all of his scars.

He had been worried about Felicity about a quarter up the mountain, and his worry had only continued to grow. So, when she lunged herself at a nearby bush, hurling behind the leafy plant, he was immediately at her side.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, concern etched across his face.

She wiped a hand over her mouth, nodding unconvincingly. "Yeah, let's keep going."

"Hell no," he denied, dead serious. "We're going back down now."

"Oliver, I'm fine," she tried again. "Really. It was just a little nausea. I'm fine now. I want to make it to the top."

He didn't budge, and when she tried to step around him, she nearly stumbled off the edge of the mountain. He caught her by wrapping one arm around her waist, yanking her a safe distance away. She was breathing even heavier now, fear flashing through her eyes.

"We're going back," he firmly repeated, and this time she gave a feeble nod of agreement. "Well, you clearly can't walk. You must be dehydrated. I knew I should have made you take your water bottle."

"I can walk," she argued, but he tightened his grip on her waist before she could attempt it, giving her a stern look from behind his glasses. "Okay, if you don't let me walk, then how do you expect me to get down?"

His face evened out, as he pondered the question. The idea came to him shortly after, and he released his hold on her. Then, he turned around, crouching down in front of her.

"Climb onto my back," he instructed.

"You're kidding, right? There's no way you can carry me down this mountain."

"Fe-li-ci-ty," he ground out, knowing that each second she stayed in the sun was only hurting her.

Without another word, she wound her arms around his neck. He stood, hoisting her up with him. Automatically, her legs came to wrap around his waist, and for a second, he couldn't help but imagine what it'd be like to be facing the other way. Would her arms still be looped around his neck? Or would she be occupying them elsewhere? Clenching his jaw, he buried those thoughts.

"You're really sweaty," she mumbled, and he grunted in response.

She was light, and he didn't even really notice her as he began the climb down. Luckily, the path stayed empty, making it easier to hurry down. Her grip on him was secure, but he still held her thighs as if her life depended on it. They made it down much quicker, and he didn't let her go until they'd reached her car. Then he opened the door, placing her inside and shoving the water bottle into her hands.

"Drink," he ordered, breathing hard as she chugged it down.

Intently, he watched her drink every last drop. She really was dehydrated, and he swore he'd never make the mistake of letting her hike without water again. When she'd finished all of it, he closed her door - somewhat satisfied - going around to start the car. He got the air going immediately, trying to cool her down as much as possible.

"Thank you," she said, and he glanced her way.

"I was just doing my job," he justified.

She snickered. "Your job is not to carry me down mountains."

"No, my job is to keep you from dying. If I hadn't carried you down, you would have suffered from heat stroke."

She stared at him, shaking her head. "Can't you just accept my appreciation?"

He exhaled, licking his lips as he gave her another look. "I was worried."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, placing a hand on his arm. "I know I was being stupid up there, but I was just so determined to prove to myself that I could hike this mountain. I wanted to be able to tell Diggle that I did it. Especially since I don't think I'll be returning to his self-defense classes anymore."

Oliver continued driving, frowning. "Why not?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "I want to break myself out of my regular routine. Plus, I have you now. I've been taking that class for a while. I'm pretty much only going to keep myself fit, but by doing exercises like this, I'll stay in shape just fine."

"Well I like working out, so you don't have to worry about me complaining," he assured, fighting back the desire he had to tell her that she was perfect just the way she was.

"Yeah, I've noticed," she said, closing her eyes in a cringe. "I said 'not noticed', right?"

He let out a huff of laughter, fighting back the response he wanted to give her that would have been very unprofessional. "How much longer until Sara expects us for lunch?" he questioned instead, deciding that changing the subject was the safest route to go.

She checked her phone that she'd left in the car, answering, "About two hours."

"Good," he remarked, easily switching lanes as he drove back to Felicity's place. "That gives us enough time to get you properly hydrated and all cleaned up."

She smiled. "Thank you, Oliver."

How could he tell her that he would have done all of this for her even if it wasn't his duty to do it, without compromising his job? How could he tell her that he was really starting to care for her, and his attempt at not getting attached was complete bullshit?

How could he tell her these things, and not lose everything in the process?

* * *

All of that time, and they still made it to the restaurant ten minutes later than they should have. That had been more Felicity's fault than Oliver's, since she was the one who'd put herself in a situation where she'd almost passed out from heat exhaustion. Felicity knew it was stupid to hike without her water bottle, and even more stupid for attempting to continue hiking even after puking.

God, she really didn't want Oliver to have to see her puke. Like, ever. But it was too late now, and the most she could do was try and keep him from seeing it again. He didn't bring it up anymore though, and only focused on getting her to drink a lot of water. Then he left her to get ready for lunch with Sara, while he went to do the same.

He was, of course, finished way before her. Seriously, all he had to do was exist, and he looked sexy. Her process was a lot more complicated than that, and even then, she didn't feel as hot as she'd like.

When Oliver left her to get ready, she went into her bathroom. Starting the shower, she shut her door and undressed quickly. The water felt good on her skin, all of the sweat and dirt from the morning spinning down the drain. She scrubbed her skin hard, trying to wash the embarrassment off as well.

By the time she got out, thirty minutes had already passed. It took her about another hour to get her hair under control and back into its usual ponytail, and another twenty minutes to pick out an outfit. Oliver was patient with her though, not bothering or rushing her. And when she finally came out, he gave her a once-over that she appreciated maybe a little too much.

The restaurant was about a twenty minute drive, and that was how they ended up there ten minutes later than planned. The funny thing was, Sara showed up ten minutes later than them. She walked up to their table, providing no explanation for her tardiness whatsoever.

"Hey," she greeted, removing the sunglasses from her face. "God, it is so hot out there!"

"Tell me about it," Felicity said, and Oliver shook his head in a way that made her laugh. "What are you doing here so early, Sara?"

Sara rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up. It's not my fault my extremely hot girlfriend was feeling frisky on my way out."

"Ew," Felicity responded. "What did I tell you about giving me personal details about your relationship with Nyssa?"

Sara shrugged innocently. "Well, you asked."

"Which I regret," she muttered, suddenly remembering that she hadn't explained Oliver's appearance next to her. "Um, Sara, you know Oliver."

Sara looked his way, seeming to notice him for the first time. Her jaw dropped, and she looked back and forth between him and Felicity. Felicity could practically see the thoughts running through Sara's head, but they were moving so quickly, she couldn't hang onto a single one.

"Oliver? What the hell are you doing with him? How do you two even know each other? Did you meet at work? Wait, are you two screwing? Why didn't you tell me, Felicity?" Sara questioned, not even stopping to breathe until the very last question.

"Let me explain," Felicity said, and that was surprisingly enough to make Sara shut up. "John is the reason I know Oliver. He told me that Oliver could help keep me safe. He said he'd provide me with protection."

"Why the hell do you need protection?" Sara asked, making Felicity curse herself for not telling her friend her situation earlier.

"I didn't want to worry you," she began, knowing she just had to get it over with, "but when I took that trip up to Vegas to visit my mom, I kind of got into some trouble. I pissed off some bad people, and I was worried about my life."

"So that's why you started taking those self-defense classes? You told me it was because you wanted to keep your ass tight."

Felicity scoffed, jaw lowered as she glanced at Oliver. "Sara, what the hell are you talking about? I never told you that!"

"Oh, that must have been in a dream then," Sara said, shrugging her obscene accusation aside. "Felicity, why wouldn't you tell me this sooner? I would have protected you."

"How? I couldn't interfere with your life like that. And I don't even know if they're going to try something for sure."

Sara took in the information, blowing out a breath. "Okay, well I'm still confused as to how you got involved with Ollie. The last time I saw you," Sara said, now addressing Oliver, "you were planning on taking over at your father's company."

"That was never the plan," Oliver denied. "My plan was and is to make a difference in someone's life. I spoke to Diggle about it a little while ago, and he told me about a way he thought I could help. That's how I got introduced to Felicity, and now she's my client. My family can never find out about me doing this though, so you can't tell them."

Sara nodded, taking everything in a lot quicker now and agreeing to keeping quiet about this. "Okay, and how exactly does this arrangement work now?"

"Well, I live with her until her case is over. Then, hopefully Diggle will have gotten me a spot in his company, and I'll be able to help other people. Legally, this is the best thing I can see for myself right now."

"You guys live together?" Sara questioned, jaw lowered some. "Holy shit! Aren't you worried about the tension?"

"What do you mean?" Felicity asked, even though she knew exactly what Sara was asking.

"I mean, aren't you afraid that you're going to end up fucking?" Sara explained, and Felicity cringed at her crudeness, catching the way Oliver stiffened next to her.

"That won't be a problem, Sara," Oliver assured, voice hard with a sureness Felicity didn't dwell on. "I'm handling this case with the utmost professionalism."

Sara scoffed. "I'm sorry, Oliver, but don't forget that I know all about your past. I know you have heard about it, too, Felicity. It's not exactly a secret that you tend to screw anything in a skirt."

"Sara," Felicity started, her tone scolding, "Oliver is different now, okay? Things aren't going to get like that between us. We are mature adults who can handle living together without having sex."

"Whatever you say," Sara muttered, suddenly flagging down the waiter. "Have you guys ordered anything yet? I was thinking about having a margarita, but I'm afraid I won't be able to stop at just one."

Felicity stared at her, amazed at how easily she could change the subject. Judging by the look on Oliver's face, he was thinking the same thing as her. A waiter approached them, and Sara went ahead and ordered the margarita anyways, making Felicity promise to cut her off if it came to it. With Sara being a professional bartender at Oblivion, it was no surprise she liked her drinks.

Felicity, on the other hand, wasn't much of a drinker, which Sara could vouch for. In fact, they had this rule to never let her drink over five drinks, since that always lead to Felicity making out with some complete stranger. Unless the occasion called for it, Felicity chose to stay sober. Oliver seemed to agree with her, sticking to water.

From then on, Felicity let Oliver and Sara catch up since the last time they'd seen each other had been for Laurel and Tommy's housewarming party, which she had missed due to work. They included her in on the conversation plenty of times, but she preferred to listen to them speak to each other. She was all caught up on Sara's life, seeing as any time something even remotely interesting happened to her best friend, she was the first to hear about it.

Oliver, on the other hand, she knew nothing about. Well, besides from what she heard from the media, which she didn't put too much reliability on. Though she'd probably never admit it given their situation, she liked getting to know him better. She liked listening to him talk about his friends and family. The more time she spent with him, the more confusing her feelings for him became.

That was definitely not good.

It wasn't until their lunch was brought out did Sara direct their conversation back to Felicity's situation.

"So, how long have you had Oliver as your bodyguard?" she asked.

"Since yesterday," Felicity answered.

"Oh, that's not long at all," Sara remarked. "I was thinking days, here. Maybe even a week. One day? That's a little surprising."

Felicity creased her brow. "Why?"

Sara shrugged, playing with the straw to her drink. "You guys just act so natural with each other. You must have done a lot of bonding in one day."

"Enough bonding for her to tell me about her apron," Oliver revealed, obviously taunting Felicity.

She parted her lips, acting offended. "Hey, you told me you liked it."

"It's cute," he said, his lips wavering as he tried to fight back a smile.

Felicity squinted her eyes at him, smacking his shoulder playfully. "You're just jealous that I have an apron and you don't."

"You're onto me," he sighed, still teasing her.

They were both completely unaware that Sara had been watching their interactions that whole time. She was very perceptive, even though it wouldn't take much to see that her two friends were obviously crushing on each other. There was at least some form of attraction there, and Sara wasn't sure how deep it went, but figured it wasn't anything too crazy yet.

Given their situation and how much time they'd be spending together, something told Sara that whatever was between them would only continue to grow. Ever since she'd met Felicity, she'd had an attachment to her. It was clear Felicity was an amazing person, and one that she wanted in her life.

If someone had asked her five years ago about whether she thought Oliver Queen would go good with her best friend, she would have slapped them. Now, after witnessing Oliver's maturity after his return from the island, she wasn't so sure she'd have the same response.

That, and she'd never seen him smile so much.

"What did you guys do this morning?" Sara asked, genuinely intrigued.

Oliver and Felicity shared a look.

"Well," Oliver began, "we went to hike this mountain Diggle recommended to Felicity, and she decided to leave her water bottle in the car."

"And you let her?" Sara asked, making Felicity laugh.

Oliver scoffed. "Hey, I didn't expect her to get as sick as she did. She couldn't even walk. I had to carry her down the mountain."

"He carried you?" Sara repeated, looking at Felicity for confirmation and even more sure of her theory about her two friends.

Felicity flushed. "It was the only way I was going to get down without the paramedics coming for me."

Sara snorted. "That would have been fun to see."

"I would have been fired," Oliver stated, and Felicity placed a hand on his arm.

"You're doing a great job, Oliver," she assured. "Don't worry."

Sara eyed them, shifting forward in her seat. "I'm glad to see you guys are getting along so well. And I feel a whole lot better about Felicity living with a guy she's never met since I do know him."

They continued to talk, jumping from one topic to another. Sara provided her input when the time came, but she was more interested in watching her friends speak. There was definitely something there. The comfort they felt in only a matter of hours meant something, and Sara made a prediction for the people sitting across from her:

They'd be in love within a month.

* * *

After a week, Oliver still really wasn't sure about how Felicity felt with him. Not in a romantic kind of way - because that could never happen - but in a professional kind of way. He wondered if she was still scared. He wondered if she still worried about her safety. He wondered about her level of confidence and dependability on him.

He wondered about those things all the damn time.

Then, as he was preparing to go to sleep one night, he overheard her on the phone with someone. Privacy was something he was big on, and since he'd been there, he'd made sure he'd given her plenty of it. But for some reason, something told him to listen. And so he did.

Getting close enough to her door to still remain out of sight, he focused his ears on her voice.

"Yeah, Mom. I'm doing fine... Nope, no more threats... You don't have to worry about me... Because... It's nothing. I just have some protection now... Mom, it's not like that... Yes, he's a boy... No, Mom, he's my bodyguard... My trainer, John, set it up. He says he'll do a great job... What does that have to do with it?... Okay, yes, he's cute. Are you happy now?"

Oliver chuckled, not even trying to cover the fact that what she'd just said made him happy. Girls have found him attractive every day of his life. It was no surprise to him that Felicity did as well. In fact, the only surprising thing here was the way he felt at knowing Felicity found him attractive. Pushing those feelings aside, he focused back in on her conversation.

"It's only been a week, Mom," Felicity said, her voice low, yet full of emotion. "But I feel safe again."

Oliver stepped back, having heard enough. Another wave of emotions hit him, and he tried to pin them all down and give them a face. Anger, because she'd felt unsafe to begin with. Joy, because she felt safe again. Worry, because there was a lot of pressure riding on him. Determination, because there was no way in hell he would ever let her get hurt by those assholes.

And something else, that he chose to let bury itself deep into his mind. He wasn't aware of how long he'd stayed against that wall, just thinking a million thoughts all revolving around Felicity. The sound of her voice is what drew him out of it, and his head swiveled to look at her.

"Oliver?"

He cleared his throat, putting on a ghost of a smile. "Felicity, hi."

"Um, did you want something?" she asked, and he was thankful she wasn't directly questioning his lingering outside her door.

He glanced at the ground to cover his embarrassment. "No, I was just coming to say goodnight and I guess I zoned out."

"Oh," she murmured, seeming to have bought his lie. "Well, goodnight."

He didn't know why, but his arm extended forward, reaching for hers. She looked surprised as he pulled her back to him, her lips parted in a way that shouldn't have been as sexy as it was. Closing his eyes, he forced his brain to think. What the hell was he doing?

"Wait," he found himself saying, letting out a huff of air. "Felicity, you know I'd do anything to protect you, don't you?"

She wore a blank expression now, blinking at him. "Of course I do."

"Okay, good," he breathed, finally remembering to let her arm go. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that. I know protecting you is kind of my job, but some people in situations like this might worry that when the time really calls for it, there'll be some sort of hesitation."

"I know that," she replied, lowering her gaze. "But I also know that there is a sort of limit on what you'll do."

He furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "I'm just saying that I know not to expect you to, like, jump in front of a knife, or push me out of the way of a speeding car, or take a bullet for me, or-"

He grasped her arm again, this time fully aware of his actions. "Felicity, I would take a bullet for you. I'd do all of those things. Without any hesitation. I promise."

Her bottom lip was tucked gently beneath her teeth at his words, and he could tell she didn't have that much faith in his answer. That was okay, he'd just prove it to her. Not that he hoped he would ever have to be in a situation where he needed to prove those things to her, but if it ever came down to that, he wouldn't hesitate.

And holy fuck, did he have to stop looking at her because it was late and she was way too attractive for him to maintain restraint.

"Thank you, Oliver," she said, her voice low. "For everything."

He nodded, realizing that this conversation was over. "You're welcome. Goodnight, Felicity."

"Goodnight."

She left him standing in her hallway, and he didn't retreat into his room until she was long gone. He was still trying to fight off the tingles that shot through his arm when he touched her. No, they weren't real. He wasn't attracted to her. He didn't have feelings for her. She was his client.

That was all.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm not being subtle at all, am I? Lol anyways, hope you liked the chapter. Next one will have a big moment or two, I think. Let me know your thoughts! They keep me going and posting! Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

One night, Oliver could no longer deny the attraction he felt towards her that was really starting to feel like more than just attraction. As a matter of fact, he was pretty sure it had always been more than just attraction with her. Yes, Felicity Smoak was gorgeous, and yes, he'd thought about her in ways he could get fired for. But there was more to it than that.

There was a connection between the two of them that he couldn't put into words just yet. He'd felt it the moment they met, only it had been pretty hazy then. The more time he spent with her, the clearer that connection became. Denying it was getting harder to do, which was a problem for many reasons.

So, after a day of jogging, coffee, and even more coffee, he was damn near ready to act upon these feeling. As always, their conversation drifted off into casual topics. They talked about movies and family. He liked talking to her about Thea, and she seemed to love hearing about her - which was another reason he found himself liking her. Then he'd followed her into the kitchen for something to drink, the drink long forgotten once she easily transitioned into another conversation.

One that would mess with his head, because _dear lord_ , was she perfect.

"I used to read things about you, you know," she said, trailing her fingers along her counter top in a distracting manner. "Before the island."

"Things?" he repeated, secretly frustrated that yet another person was going to bring up his terrible past.

"Yes, things," she confirmed. "Some good, some bad."

Now, _that_ intrigued him. Not once had someone ever told him that they'd heard good things about the younger version of himself. He'd heard every form of judgment about every mistake he's ever made from almost everyone. Felicity saying that she was aware of something good the shameful version of himself had done shocked him. He was curious, that was for sure.

"I wasn't aware there was anything good."

She smiled just enough for him to notice. "A lot of people let the bad outshine the good. I choose to view life the other way. I choose to view _people_ the other way."

Her answer was unexpected, but the urge to kiss her wasn't. He was used to it by now. "So, you didn't think I was a stuck-up brat?"

"No, I did," she responded, and he couldn't help but laugh. "But I also think that there was more to you than that. I saw the potential in you and I knew that the media was exaggerating about every little mistake you would make; they tend to do that." She paused, letting out a chuckle, but he was watching her so intently, it died half-way out. "I know that the good you did was hardly recognized and that acting out was a way to get attention. I know that most of the people who judged you would lie about it to your face. They'd also kill to even talk to you or be the one at your side when you were getting into said trouble. I know that you're ashamed of who you used to be, but I also know there's nothing for you to be ashamed of."

He swallowed, not realizing that somehow, his feet had guided him over to her. Well, it seemed that she had been coming towards him, too, but he wasn't sure if that was in his head or not. His judgement tended to cloud over when he was alone with her. She was no more than a couple inches away from him, and the way he was surely staring at her must have made her want to step closer to him seeing as how she did just that.

"How?" he asked, his voice a low murmur now due to their close proximity. "How do you know this?"

Her eyes stared into his, getting him lost in the blue abyss. By the time she seemed to realize he'd asked her a question, his head had already begun leaning down to meet hers. She licked her lips, and his eyes zoned in on the glimmering pinkness. He let out a little breath, searching her eyes for any reluctance she might have. Not finding any, he bent downwards further until their lips were only a breath away. Her eyes were shut, and he could see her hand rising from its place at her side to touch him in some way.

She wanted this just as bad. Good.

Then, just as he was about to go down a route that would change things between them forever, his phone went off. They both jumped back, caught of guard by the loud ringing, and filled with unused adrenaline. Felicity paced around the room while Oliver went to find his phone, avoiding eye contact with her. He reached into the pocket of his suit jacket, pulling it out to see that it was Diggle calling.

Perfect timing.

"I'm sorry, Felicity," he apologized, knowing that he had to take it. "It's Digg."

"John?" she asked, receiving a nod from him. "I understand. I'll just go to my room. It's late anyways. Plus, I'm exhausted. Goodnight."

He didn't say anything as she practically ran into her bedroom, instead trying to hide his frustration as he swiped his phone screen.

"Oliver, hey," Diggle greeted.

Oliver closed his eyes putting on that fake voice he had learned to perfect over the years. "Diggle, how are you?"

"I'm great, man. I'm actually calling to ask you that question, though. I haven't heard from you about the job yet. What's been going on?"

Oliver took a seat at the table, placing a hand over his eyes. "It's great. I haven't had to do anything too crazy yet."

"Well, that's implying that you did something at least a little crazy," Diggle pointed out, snorting. "What was it?"

"I carried Felicity down from the mountain you recommended she hike. It was challenging and she was determined to make it to the top. Add exhaustion and dehydration to the mix, and it wasn't too pretty."

"Well, good thing you were with her. Also, that's your job, so I'm glad you're taking it seriously."

Oliver swallowed out of guilt, thankful Diggle couldn't see him right now. "Yep, I'm taking it very seriously."

"That's great to hear. I knew you could handle it. Now, are you getting along with Felicity? I know she isn't exactly someone you would normally hang around with, but maybe that's a good thing."

"Yeah, Felicity's great," Oliver promised, careful not to express just how great he thought she was. "We're getting along fine."

He could tell Diggle was smiling on the other end of the phone. "Good. And thank you again for not messing with her. I was a little doubtful at first, but you've proven me wrong. After this case, I'll look into getting you certified right away. You've shown me just how professional you can be, and that will not go unnoticed."

"Wow, thank you, Diggle."

Oliver was shocked. He never expected that kind of appraisal from Diggle. But that pride was quickly buried under the weight of his guilt. He had almost kissed Felicity. If Diggle had never called, who's to even say what they'd be doing right now? Becoming a professional bodyguard was his goal right now. He couldn't lose sight of that, and he needed to make that clear to Felicity.

"Okay, Oliver. I'm going to go now, but before I do, I was wondering if you could ask Felicity if I can come over one of these days? I think I should see your great performance in action," he joked.

Oliver laughed halfheartedly, closing his eyes. "Yeah, I'll ask her."

"Thanks, man. Talk to you soon."

Oliver hung up before anything else could be said, letting out a sigh. When he finally got to his feet, he found himself heading for Felicity's room. He thought about knocking, but decided against it. Things were going to have to be different now. He'd discuss it with her in the morning.

* * *

Diggle's words were quickly forgotten by Oliver the next morning. He got out of bed, walking out of his room to find a cup of coffee waiting for him on the counter. Felicity was on the other side of the kitchen, sipping from a cup of her own. When he saw her, he grinned, taking a drink and sitting down at the table.

"Thanks for the coffee," he told her, any weirdness from the night before forgotten.

She smiled, approaching him slowly. "I make myself a cup every day. I was just thinking I could include you in on that tradition."

"I'd like that."

There was an easiness between them that he was loving. They were able to just sit next to each other, drinking coffee and sharing small glances at each other every so often. She finished hers first, stating that she was going to shower, and he couldn't help but imagine stepping into the hot sprays with her. He bet she would have the nicest smelling shampoo.

"What are your plans for today?" he asked, setting their mugs in the sink and catching her before she left the kitchen.

She shrugged. "I was thinking about checking out this bookstore I walked past a couple weeks ago. There's this cool little coffee shop next to it that looks pretty good."

"More coffee?" he teased, it not taking long at all for him to realize she may have an addiction.

She grinned. "Well, at least it's not heroin." Her smile dropped, and she waved a finger at him. "Not that I've ever thought about doing heroin. I know to stay away from that. Not even once, you know?"

He laughed, hanging his head. "Felicity, go get ready."

She nodded her head, leaving before she could say anything else. He walked back into his room, closing the door behind him. In his closet was practically every dress shirt he owned since he was on the job at all times now. He picked out a light blue one, along with a pair of black slacks. After entering the guest bathroom that was out in the hall, he started the shower.

After thirty minutes, they were both dressed and ready to go. Felicity looked great. She was wearing a bright pink sundress with a pair of flats. Her hair was up in its usual ponytail, glasses sitting neatly on her nose. Oliver couldn't help but stare at her, questioning how someone could have the affect on him that was currently taking place.

"So, how far is this bookstore?" he asked, stepping into the driver's seat after closing the door to the passenger side.

She typed something into her phone, pulling up an electronic map. "It says we're twenty-five minutes away without traffic. That's not too bad of a drive."

"Well, it is a Sunday," he reminded her. "The streets are going to be packed."

"Then you don't mind if I control the music, right?"

He let out a groan. "Please tell me you're not into Country."

She laughed. "Only a few songs." He gave her a disappointed look. "Hey, I don't judge you for liking Rap."

"Who says I like Rap?" he questioned, earning a tilt of her head. "Okay, fine. How about we compromise? No Country, no Rap."

"Fine, I'll stick to Alternative."

He settled for that answer, knowing that it could be worse. In fact, he actually started to enjoy it. A few times, he actually caught his knee shaking to the beat of a song, stopping immediately out of fear she'd catch him. He didn't even want to imagine what that conversation would look like.

It turned out, the traffic wasn't that bad. It was still crazy, but it moved quickly and they were able to get to the coffee shop only fifteen minutes later than expected. Parking was a little difficult since the shop was so small and couldn't afford a decent sized parking lot.

They exited the car, and he slid his sunglasses into place in a weak attempt to hide his identity. Really, the media didn't care about him unless he was doing something scandalous. And getting coffee with a friend was far from it. Well, she was his client who he had a connection to that couldn't really be explained, but they didn't know that.

The shop smelled of sandalwood and coffee beans. There was a man behind the counter, looking to be in his sixties. His head lifted from what Oliver assumed was a magazine, and he beamed at them. Glancing around the shop, Oliver realized that besides five other people, they were the only ones in there. Feeling more comfortable, he removed his sunglasses. Yeah, he would have never been caught dead in a place like this before the island.

But somehow, being here with Felicity, it felt... right.

"How are you, folks?" the guy asked, his voice thick with age.

Felicity smiled, waltzing right up to the counter. "We are great." The guy smiled back at her, and Oliver was reminded once again just how charming Felicity's positive attitude can be. "I was passing by the place one day, and I thought I'd check it out."

"You a coffee person?" he asked.

She let out a laugh. "Oh, you have no idea."

"Well, then you've come to the right place. What's your poison?"

Oliver approached from behind her, even though he usually kept his distance while she did her thing. It's just that she was so great with others, and he wanted to be apart of it. He wanted those people to know that that beam of sunshine had walked in with him. But in a strictly professional manner, of course.

"Uh, I'll take just a regular coffee for today," she ordered, tapping her fingers on the counter.

"Good choice," he complimented. "You can never go wrong with that."

He pulled a cup out from underneath the counter, stepping behind him to pour her coffee into it. Placing a lid on top, he slid it across the counter towards her. Felicity watched him, and Oliver knew she was making her decision about whether or not they'd be returning to this place. Well, whether _she'd_ be returning to this place. He'd only be in her life temporarily. God, did he hate that thought.

"Thank you," she said, reaching for the cup.

He shrugged his shoulder like he was simply doing his job - which he was - and looked at Oliver. "Now, what can I get for your boyfriend here?"

Felicity tensed, glancing behind her almost as if she'd forgotten he was there. He was glad he couldn't see his face right now, because it probably looked like the definition of stupid. For one, he was curious as to why this guy had spent exactly three minutes in their presence and had assumed they were in a relationship. Another part of him was imagining what it would be like to claim his role as her boyfriend and let everyone in their know where he belonged. Then, there was the nagging part of him that was basically a miniature Diggle threatening his job.

Yeah, he was just a mess.

"Um, Oliver, do you want something?" she asked cautiously, eye flicking over his face.

Yes, you.

No, he needed to stop. But he couldn't help but notice she didn't correct the guy about him being her boyfriend. He really should, but no one in there seemed to recognize him, and if they did, they sure as hell didn't care. So, he stepped forward, brushing his chest just slightly against Felicity's backside. He saw her swallow, and was glad to know this attraction wasn't just one-sided.

Though, that had been proven to him several times before.

"Regular coffee is fine," he answered.

The guy nodded. "That seems to be a popular choice today."

Oliver snickered, watching as the guy repeated the same process as he had with Felicity's coffee. "So, how long has this place been around?" he asked, attempting to make small talk with the man who'd given him the opportunity to stand so close to Felicity.

"Uh, about thirteen years now," he informed him, snapping a lid onto the cup and handing it over to Oliver. "My wife and I opened it when we first moved to Starling City. It was pretty successful in the beginning, but so many other coffee shops have opened since then, so business kind of died."

"Where's your wife now?"

"She's retired. Says she's gotten too old for this place. I keep it running for the regulars."

Oliver nodded, fumbling with the coffee cup. "It's nice in here. I like the atmosphere."

"You should come on the last Friday of every month," the guy told him. "We have karaoke night."

"Oh, anyone good ever sing?"

He scrunched his face up, shaking his head. "Just the drunks who're looking to sober up. It's real amusin' though."

"Yeah, I bet," Oliver chuckled, running a hand over Felicity's arm. "Maybe you could sing."

She looked up at him in shock, and he wasn't sure if it was from him touching her like that, or if it was from the suggestion of her singing for a few drunks and an insanely nice old man. She relaxed though, and he could have sworn she actually _leaned_ into his touch.

"I think I'd be doing everyone a favor if I didn't."

Oliver scoffed. "Oh, come on. Felicity, I've heard your singing voice plenty of times. It's beautiful."

"You have not," she argued, chuckling. "When?"

"Whenever you cook," he answered, and she blushed as he added, "You think I'm not listening, but I am."

The guy laughed, hearty and full of life. "You guys make a lovely couple. I hope to see you back in here sometime."

Felicity didn't stiffen this time at the mention of them being involved romantically, yet another thing he'd be left to ponder later. He saw her reach for her wallet, but he touched her shoulder, taking out his instead. This guy was really hospitable to them, and Oliver wanted to leave a huge tip. Felicity seemed to sense his intentions, because she stepped to the side to let him pay.

"Is that all for you, folks?"

Felicity gazed into the glass next to the register, placing a hand on Oliver's arm. "Actually, I think that chocolate cupcake looks pretty good. Can we get two of those?"

"Oh, sure," the guy agreed, moving to pull them out. "They're a favorite here. My wife makes them daily and I just bring them into the shop. Baking is all she really does now."

"Well, I can't wait to try them then," Felicity replied, and Oliver smiled down at her.

Yeah, he was screwed.

"Here ya go," the guy said, handing the two cupcakes over in a paper bag.

Before he could read out their amount due, Oliver pulled out a hundred dollar bill. He looked down at it, and Oliver assumed he was going to tell him they don't take bills that large. He stopped him before he could.

"Keep the change," he told him, sliding it across the counter. "And thank you so much for your kindness. We appreciate it, really."

The guy smiled, extending his hand forward. "I'm Hank, by the way."

"Oliver," he greeted, not saying his last name because he didn't think it mattered. "And this is Felicity."

"I hope to see you two in here soon," Hank responded, smiling fondly at them.

Oliver laughed, taking his coffee, and following Felicity out of the place. "Maybe we'll consider that karaoke night. Last Friday of the month, right?"

"Right," Hank confirmed.

Oliver gave him one last wave before exiting the shop. Felicity was no more than a couple steps in front of him, eagerly pulling the cupcakes out of the bag. Oliver glanced around the sidewalk, checking to make sure they weren't in the way. She handed him his, taking a huge bite of her own. He laughed, amused by her. His eyes focused in on the strip of chocolate icing that was abandoned on her lip.

She froze, and he knew she'd caught him staring. It wasn't his fault that watching her eat a cupcake was somehow sexy to him. Plus, he didn't need anything else drawing him to her lips. They were tempting enough without big, flashing smudges of chocolate pointing them out to him. If he were given one wish right now, it would be to be able to kiss the icing off of her. To feel his tongue on her skin and then slip it between her lips.

"Oliver?" she questioned, and he shook his head.

"Yeah?"

She eyed him. "I have something on my face, don't I?" She didn't wait for him to answer before checking her reflection in the window of the shop. "Oh God, how embarrassing. You could have told me, you know? I'm sorry."

He pressed his lips together, forcing himself to stay quiet as she swiped the icing off with her tongue. He was sure he'd pissed some god off badly to have to withstand this kind of torture. Again, he shook his head, thinking about baseball and other random things that were not Felicity Smoak's tongue gliding across Felicity Smoak's lips.

"It was nice here, wasn't it?" he asked, and she stared at him, smiling slowly.

"Yeah, it was," she agreed. "And totally worth returning to because these cupcakes are to die for! Not that I'd die for a cupcake, because I'd have to be insane. Well, unless it was like a _really_ good cupcake. Then, I guess, it'd be understandable. And really, that all depends on the kind of person you are. If you don't really have a sweet tooth, then you probably wouldn't be willing to die over a cupcake. But what kind of person doesn't have a sweet tooth? I'll tell you what kind of person doesn't have a sweet tooth."

She kept going on, and he didn't stop her. It really didn't matter what she was rambling on about. Oliver liked hearing her talk. Plus, it made him grin to think that she was rambling only because she was nervous.

Yeah, he'd definitely mark today down as a win.

* * *

Felicity was still awake later that night, having trouble going to sleep. She'd tried everything she could think of. Counting sheep didn't work, putting her iPod on her jazz playlist didn't work, and moving into different sleep positions sure as hell didn't work. It was strange, considering how easily she fell asleep every other night. In fact, she had been called a heavy sleeper, having slept through many crazy things in her time.

Flipping onto her back for what was probably the billionth time that night, she let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't as though she'd have to be up early in the morning for work or something. But her craving for caffeine did tend to wake her up when she did try and sleep in. Frustrated, she decided to let her mind drift.

The first thing to pop into her mind was Oliver. Oliver, her very attractive, very off-limits, bodyguard. It was totally unfair to have a guy as hot as Oliver Queen living under her roof and being unable to even do so much as wink at him. She'd gotten along with him right off the bat, something that had surprised her considering she once thought they were from two completely different worlds. It was definitely shocking to know that they had a lot more in common than she'd originally believed.

It was only natural that she found him attractive. In fact, she was pretty sure it was an instinct for all of mankind. The thought of him finding _her_ attractive though... Well, it was shocking, to say the least. He didn't exactly say he found her attractive, but there had been that almost kiss in her kitchen and the way he'd gone along with being her boyfriend at that coffee shop.

Felicity knew she was attractive. She'd been told plenty of times, by plenty of different guys. She just didn't think she was Oliver-Queen-attractive. Meaning, that he spent his days with models and the sexiest girls in the world. It was strange that he seemed drawn to her, right?

"Felicity?" a voice whispered, and she nearly jumped ten feet into the air.

Grabbing her glasses off her nightstand, she put them on and looked towards the direction of her bedroom door. She could just make out Oliver in the darkness, his head sticking through the door, his hand on the knob. Furrowing her brows, she sat up a little straighter.

"Oliver?"

At being acknowledged, he stepped fully into her room. The shadows were definitely on his side at the moment, and she swallowed at how they covered his face. Had he gotten taller, somehow?

"Hey, I couldn't sleep," he told her, remaining in her doorway.

She pushed her glasses farther up her nose as a reflex, and for some reason, the muscle in his jaw ticked. "I couldn't either," she responded, letting out a nervous laugh. "I must have pent up energy or something."

She could have sworn his eyes darkened, but there really was no way of proving that.

"My thoughts are keeping me awake," he informed her, his head tilting in a way that made her feel as though he were examining her every move.

She folded her lips to try and steady her irrationality. "What are you thinking about?"

And that was when he took his first step forward, followed by five more. She watched him, hands clenching the sheets for a reason she had no clue for. He was suddenly at her bedside, gazing down at her as if she were the only thing in the world. Holy shit, was this really happening right now?

"You," he answered, and then his hands were tugging his shirt of, discarding it into a far corner of her room.

She swallowed, eyes glued onto his exposed torso that was probably the sexiest thing she'd ever seen. And she'd seen a lot of shirtless guys in her time.

"Y-You think about me?" she stuttered, her face burning.

He nodded slowly, darkly, and she sunk deeper into her mattress. "I think about you in ways that could cost me my job." She exhaled loudly, and his eyebrows knit together. "Do you think about me, too, Felicity?"

"Yes," she breathed, feeling possessed by her desire for him.

He smirked, setting one knee on the mattress, and she watched as it sunk in. The other knee followed, and soon he was hovering over her, eyes locked onto hers. She bit her bottom lip at the way the shadows played on the muscles of his abdomen, her fingers reaching out to touch them. But then he reached into his soft pants, pulling himself out, and she suddenly had something new she wanted to touch.

"Wow, um, okay," she sputtered, and he let out a cocky huff of air.

Taking her hand from its death-grip on her sheets, he guided it over to himself. Her fingers wrapped around him, and he directed her hand into a stoking motion until she began to do it on her own. His throat let out a rumble of approval that had her core heating. Oliver placed hot, open-mouthed kisses along her neck and upper chest, and she could feel him hardening in her hand with each stroke.

His fingers tugged at the straps of her tank top, pulling the fabric down until her breasts were exposed. A sound that sounded close to a growl escaped his throat, his lips enclosing around one of her nipples. Arching, she gasped. His mouth was warm, tongue flicking around her nipple in a way that had her brain short-circuiting. When he bucked into her hand, she realized she'd stopped with her pumping, and quickly returned to it.

"Sorry," she whispered, and he grunted in response, his lips still sucking at her in the hottest way she could imagine.

He pulled away, cupping her face. His eyes were the darkest she'd ever seen them, and the ache between her thighs was really starting to get on her nerves.

"Do you want me?" he asked, his other hand tracing a circular pattern into her upper thigh.

She nodded. "Yes."

Still, he studied her, his fingers only getting closer to where she wanted them most with each spin. "How bad?" he pressed.

"Really, really bad," she practically whined, and his lips curled devilishly.

"Can I feel?"

Instead of responding with words, she lifted his hand from her thigh, sliding it under the cotton of her shorts. He groaned, biting down onto her shoulder, and then soothing the sting with his tongue. She was trying hard not to cry out from having his fingers on her, even though he'd had yet to move them.

The next second he was seeking her out, pushing through her folds and tracing a line back and forth. Her breath caught in her throat, a soundless cry taking over her. His eyes were back on her, refusing to look away. Then he smirked, nodding his head.

"You really do want me, Felicity."

She stilled, sensing a hidden meaning in that. "Are you surprised?"

He locked his jaw, giving his head another little nod. "Yes. I didn't think you could ever want me."

Her brows creased, and she placed a hand on his cheek. "Oliver, what do you mean?"

"I mean that you have to wake up," he said, and her confusion only grew.

"What?"

He chuckled. "Felicity, you have to get up."

She blinked, but when her eyes opened again, it was daylight, and she was lying on her stomach. Squinting her eyes, she looked up to find Oliver standing there, trying to fight back a laugh.

"What the hell is going on?" she questioned, her body still feeling like its been heated to a million degrees.

Oliver crossed his arms. "I could hear your alarm going off for the past ten minutes, and I came in here to wake you up," he explained. "When you told me you were a heavy sleeper, I didn't think it was this serious."

She slapped a hand over her face, groaning. Of course it had all been a dream. The world just hated her.

"Thanks for waking me up," she muttered, and he began to walk out of her room.

"No problem. I'll leave you to it then."

She sat up, rubbing her eyes. He shut the door behind him, giving her the perfect opportunity to flop back onto the bed, shrieking into her pillow. She'd done a lot of questionable things in her life, but having sex dreams about her bodyguard was an all new low.

One she wasn't sure if she liked or not.

* * *

 **A/N: Clearly, each chapter will delve deeper into the Oliver x Felicity relationship. Hopefully you guys are enjoying that so far. Did I fool anyone with the sex dream? I mean, did anyone actually think that was happening, even for a split second? I'm curious to know lol. Anyways, review and let me know your thoughts and such!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for the feedback. I love hearing from you guys. This website has been acting really weird recently, and that slowed me down from posting this chapter. Hopefully things are all cleared up from now on. I don't want to have to stop using this site since I've been with it for so long. Anyways, here's the next chapter. It picks up right after Felicity had her little dream ;) Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

Felicity got dressed into her jogging clothes after her shower, since she'd told Oliver they'd be doing that first thing in the morning, just the night before. He was already waiting in the kitchen for her, looking fantastic, she was sure. She had no idea how she was even going to be able to look at him without remembering what he'd done to her in her dream the night before.

That dream had been replaying in her mind since she woke up, and sometimes she saw it through to the end. But that didn't benefit anybody, since all it did was get her flustered, and Oliver didn't have a clue. Yet, she couldn't help it when her brain drifted off in that direction again, and she found herself zoning out. Shaking her head, she snapped out of it and made her way into the bathroom.

Splashing some cold water over her face to cool herself down, she prayed to whatever gods were out there that she wouldn't let it slip out. Surely, there was no way she'd survive if it did. Her brain had a tendency to say things that were never meant to come out. Stepping out of her room and into the kitchen, she saw Oliver waiting for her, just as she'd thought he would be. He smiled when he saw her, getting to his feet.

"You ready?" he asked, going over to the fridge to pull out two water bottles.

"Yeah," she nodded, and she knew she was blushing slightly.

Her brain just had to put the image of him asking her that in a completely different scenario. A scenario where there was a lot less clothing, and he was about to do a whole lot more than hand her over a water bottle. Oliver gave her a strange look, and she swore he knew exactly what she was thinking. Damn paranoia.

"Hey, are you feeling alright?"

She nodded probably a little too quickly, and the concern on his face didn't fade. "Yeah, I'm totally fine. Fantastic, even. I'm just still trying to wake up, you know? Haven't had my morning coffee yet."

He smiled, chuckling. "Right. Well, that's your motivation, remember? The faster we jog, the faster we make it to that Starbucks a couple miles from your apartments."

She groaned, hating the fact that she had to go through all that just to get her daily fix, but knowing that it was a smart idea and great motivator. "Fine, but Starbucks is way overrated."

"Know any better coffee shops around here?" he prompted, opening her front door.

She pressed her lips together, shaking her head. "Just the one with the delicious cupcakes, but now I know what my new task is. I need to find a coffee shop that's within a two mile radius from here and is hopefully lacking reporters and casino thugs."

Oliver locked up behind her, laughing at her newly stated mission. They made their way down the stairs, crossing over to the stoplight. As soon as they were on the right side of the street, they began jogging. Oliver always stayed at her pace, careful of every person or car they passed. He really was doing a phenomenal job at being a bodyguard, no person going undetected by him.

Just like always, she grew exhausted before they reached a mile. He ran in place while she caught her breath, urging her to drink some water. She did, but it didn't help much. It wasn't until he reminded her of what the reward would be did she pick up the pace again, determination written across her face. She was mad because she didn't have caffeine in her system yet, she was exhausted, and he hadn't even broken a sweat.

"Are you, like, superhuman or something?" she asked between huffs, and he jogged backwards so that he could look at her.

"No, I'm just used to running," he explained. "I did a lot of it on the island."

She nodded, trying not to show how thrilled she was that he'd spoken about the island. "What else did you do a lot of?"

He cocked his head to the side, contemplating his answer. "Archery," he finally answered.

"Archery? As in bows, arrows, and targets?"

"That'd be the one," he confirmed, his lips fighting back a grin. "You ever tried it?"

She shook her head, not even noticing how talking to him was distracting her from the exhausting act of jogging. "No, but now I want to."

He paused, and she immediately did the same. Her brows furrowed out of worry, and she scanned her surroundings. Oliver wasn't tense though, so she decided nothing serious was going on. She just wasn't sure as to why he stopped.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"About what?" she drawled, confused.

"About wanting to try archery," he answered. "Because if you're serious, then I'd love to take you. There's this exclusive gym a little while away from here that has an archery station. We would't have to worry about running into any paparazzi or angry casino thugs."

She laughed, taking note of how his eyes seemed to light up with the thought of taking her. "Yeah, I'd love to do that."

He grinned. "Okay, so how about we get our coffee and head straight over?"

"By car, right?"

"Yes, by car," he responded, still smiling. "I think you're going to love it."

He started jogging the right way again, and she focused on evening out her breaths so she wouldn't pass out. When they finally reached Starbucks, the crowd had left. Since it was about nine o'clock on a weekday, the only people in there were either old, or too focused on themselves to care about the fact that Oliver Queen just walked inside with a blonde woman.

They ordered regular coffees, and sat down at a booth as they sipped them. Oliver began to explain to her what archery was and she could see how truly passionate he was about it. Judging by how much he knew, she assumed he was pretty good at it.

After they finished their coffee, they jogged back to Felicity's apartment. She definitely had more energy, and they finished a whole lot faster. They really did just get into Felicity's car from there, driving off to that exclusive gym Oliver had spoken of. The drive was a little on the long side, but she didn't mind talking to Oliver until they got there.

When they finally pulled into the parking lot of the gym, Felicity's jaw dropped. She wasn't sure she should even be looking at the place, let alone stepping inside of it. Oliver was unfazed though, getting out of the car as if it was natural to be heading into a gym where the front office was bigger than the entirety of her apartment.

Felicity stumbled after him, trying to pick her jaw up from the ground. They entered into the building, Oliver leading them up to the front desk. A woman with red hair was sitting behind the desk, and she looked up at Oliver when he walked in. Instantly, a look of admiration filled her eyes, and Felicity had to resist the urge to gag. God, she hoped she hadn't looked like that the first time she'd seen Oliver.

If Oliver noticed how boneless the woman was acting in his presence, he didn't show it. Instead, he gave her one of his charming smiles, leaning a little against the polished wood.

"Hi," he greeted, and the woman seemed to swoon even further at the sound of his voice. "I don't have my membership card with me, but I was hoping you could pull up my file."

"Of course," she agreed, typing in a few keys. "What's the name?"

Felicity rolled her eyes. As if the girl didn't know. She'd only made it glaringly obvious she knew exactly who he was. Oliver just gave her his name, not making a big deal out of it. It took her a few seconds to pull up his file, and then she was giving him the okay.

"And the membership allows for a plus-one, right?"

Her smile dropped, and for the first time since Felicity had walked in, her eyes were drawn to her. "Oh, yeah. It does."

"Great," Oliver remarked, beckoning Felicity closer.

She stepped towards him, and he wrapped his hand around hers. She felt her heart rate quicken, wondering what the hell he was doing. The woman only seemed to grow angrier, shooting daggers in Felicity's direction. Felicity couldn't help but smile, feeling satisfied with the obvious implication of what her and Oliver were to each other - even though it was completely false. Good thing places like this were all about confidentiality, or they'd have a big problem right now.

Oliver began moving, Felicity following after him. He didn't let go of her hand, and she was actually grateful for that. The building was so huge, she was certain she would have gotten lost otherwise. Maybe that was why he'd done it in the first place. No, Felicity didn't like that explanation very much.

There were few people there - all ranging in various age groups - but everyone who was there was focused on their own workout. There was literally every type of machine or piece of equipment there, and even some things Felicity had never seen before. Oliver guided her towards the back of the building, stopping in front of a white door. He turned back to her, smirking, before twisting it open.

He allowed her to step in before him, and she really didn't know what to expect. It was a white room, with a counter a few feet away from the door. Along the walls between the door and the counter were bows and arrows of every size and shape. Directly across from the door, on the other side of a very long gap of space, was a target.

Oliver shut the door behind him, and Felicity jumped a little, having been caught in her own thoughts for a second or two. He easily hopped the counter, approaching the target. She watched as he adjusted the distance so that it was closer to where she was standing, sliding back over the counter. He then began to pick arrows off the wall, setting each one he liked onto the counter.

"Have you ever held a bow?" he asked, and she shook her head. "Okay, well let's see how these feel."

He handed one over to her, and she tested the weight. It was wooden, and a little on the heavier side. He seemed to know how she felt about it before she said anything, taking it from her hands and replacing it with another one. She couldn't tell what it was made out of, but it was much lighter and she had a better grip on it.

"I like this one," she told him, and he smiled like he knew she was going to say that.

"Okay, pick up an arrow," he instructed, crossing his arms over his chest.

She gazed down, lifting up one with a narrow head. "Like this?"

"Perfect." He stayed quiet as she put it in position like she'd seen other people do on television. "Now, focus on the target, and just... let go."

She released a breath, letting the string go like he'd instructed. The arrow spit the air in less than a second, plunging straight into the floor. She closed her eyes, embarrassment filling her. Oliver didn't laugh though. Instead, he smiled, handing her another one.

"Try again."

She repeated the same process, and if anything, she got worse. Her arrows were landing nowhere near the target. Frustrated and embarrassed, she set her bow down. Oliver was suddenly at her side, giving her a questioning look.

"Okay, I suck," she muttered, and he shook his head.

"Felicity, this is your first time. I didn't expect you to be an expert."

"I know, but the least I could've done was hit the target. Just once."

He sighed, picking up the bow and placing it back in her hands. Cautiously, she accepted it, wondering what he was doing. He plucked up another arrow, handing it over. She took it, placing it in front of her string ad drawing back. Expecting to just shoot it another time, she was surprised when he came up from behind her, covering her hand with his own.

She could feel his body against hers, and her face heated to a million degrees. The arrow was between both his and her fingers, and she felt the bow even out under his hold. That was great, considering she'd probably be making it wobble had he not done that. His voice was right in her ear when he spoke, and she had to fight off the tingles that ran down her spine.

"Focus on the target," he murmured, his eyes locked onto the board as well. "Anticipate the force that is required to get this arrow to reach that target." His fingers skimmed over hers, before planting themselves back over hers. "Block everything else out that isn't you, the bow, the arrow, and the target." She took a deep breath, and felt his eyes land on her face. "And shoot."

She released the arrow, watching as it cut through the room, and pricked straight into the target. Her jaw dropped, and she stood there, sure her eyes were playing tricks on her. But then Oliver clapped, and she knew it was real. She turned around, finding him grinning. Just so goddamn excited, she launched herself against him, her arms wrapped tight around his neck. He held her at the waist, chuckling softly.

"Oliver, I did it!" she cheered.

"I know," he said, and she could hear the pride in his voice. "I knew you could."

She moved out of his arms, beaming. "I want to try again."

"Try as many times as you want," he encouraged, his eyes bright with something she couldn't quite place at the moment.

She did exactly what she had the last time, and once again, the arrow struck the target. It was getting closer to the center with each attempt, and she began to see why Oliver loved this as much as he claimed. She was tempted to pretend like she was clueless again just to feel him close to her like he'd been minutes before. As if he'd read her mind, he stepped closer to her, placing his hand on her hip.

She looked up at him, eyes drawn to his lips. When her eyes finally flickered back up to is eyes, she saw that they were darkened. Holy crap, what the hell was going on? Well, nothing. Absolutely nothing was going on because there was a big, giant bow between them, and he had no reason to want to kiss her. She closed her eyes, erasing her insane thoughts from her head.

"Um, you wanna try?" she asked, assuming that was the reason behind his close presence, and not even realizing the alternate meaning to her question.

He cleared his throat, shaking his head. "Yeah." He let out a small chuckle, locking eyes with her again, and all traces of anything more were completely erased. "Allow me to show you how the pros do it."

She raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Give it your best shot."

He smirked, taking the bow from her hand, and placing an arrow in front of the string. There was no hesitance whatsoever as he shot the first arrow, it landing directly in the center of the target. Picking up another arrow, he did the same thing. It landed in the center as well, sending splinters of wood from the previous arrow scattering off in every direction as it cut straight through it. Quickly, he fired off the remaining arrows, every single one of them hitting some point on the target.

She was speechless, not ever expecting for him to be that good. He grinned cockily, setting the bow back down.

"Impressed?" he prompted.

She crossed her arms, trying to salvage even a scrap of her dignity. "I warmed the bow up for you," she justified weakly.

He chuckled, nodding along with it. "You're right. Otherwise, my arrows would probably all be on the floor."

She smacked his shoulder playfully, trying hard not to grin. "Hey, you said you didn't expect me to be good."

"You were good," he told her, and that prideful look returned. "My first time, I missed the target by a mile."

"Really?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, and it was embarrassing as hell. And I can promise you, I didn't look nearly as cute."

She laughed, but on the inside, she was freaking out. He thought she'd looked cute. That wasn't something you told a friend, right? Well, Sara did tend to tell her that a lot, but that was different. Plus, her and Oliver weren't really friends. He was her bodyguard. She shook her head. No, of course they were friends. He'd become one of her closest friends, and vise versa.

Why the hell was she overthinking everything so much right now?

"Want to grab some frozen yogurt?" he offered. "There's a shop right next door."

"That's smart," she remarked. "Everyone will be so proud of themselves for working out, they'll think it's okay to have some cheat food."

He shrugged. "Or they just liked the area."

"Whatever the reason, I am totally in."

Oliver smiled. "Okay, let me just pick all this up."

Felicity waited patiently as he jumped the counter once again, picking up all the arrows from the target and the floor. He handed them one by one to Felicity, who placed them on their correct place on the wall. They put the bow back, and he held the door open for her as she walked through. Then, just like on their way in, he grabbed her hand. She gave him a questioning look, and this time, he caught it.

"Just making sure people know who I came here with," he explained, and she pressed her lips together.

"Makes sense," she agreed, squeezing his hand.

And so they made their way out of the gym, passing by the woman behind the desk who threw a glare Felicity's way before batting her eyelashes at Oliver. He told her they'd hopefully be returning, stressing that he meant the both of them, and the woman said she looked forward to having them back. Felicity smirked.

Despite the awkward and horrifying start to her day, things were going pretty damn great.

* * *

Oliver released his grip on Felicity's hand once they left the gym, knowing that anyone could be waiting to take their picture now that they were out in the open. Having the paparazzi photograph them holding hands would only bring them trouble, and it was his job to prevent that. Felicity understood, and he felt bad when she tucked her hands into her pockets.

He had no clue why'd he'd grabbed her hand to begin with. Sure, he'd wanted to do that. But normally, he would be able to restrain himself. Maybe it had something to do with the woman behind the counter who he'd noticed was making Felicity shrink into herself. Yeah, anything that made Felicity feel less than the perfect person that she was was definitely not okay.

So, holding her hand had just been his way of letting her know she was what was important here. It was just a reassurance that his focus was on her, and only her - not just as her bodyguard, but as Oliver Queen as well.

That explained the first time.

Why he'd done it on their way out, he wasn't sure. He'd told her it was a symbol of where he stood and who he stood with. It didn't have to be interpreted as a more than friends thing. But bodyguards and clients didn't hold hands. Not unless the situation demanded it, which their's definitely did not. God, everything was so much more complicated than it should have been.

Maybe he should just stop holding her hand altogether.

Taking her to the gym seemed like such a good idea when they'd been jogging. Shed said she wanted to try archery, and he happened to love it. It all seemed like such a great idea until he'd seen her holding the bow, actually firing arrows. He swore, that was now one of his fantasies. Seeing the woman he'd been so confusingly attracted to doing the thing he loved most in the world definitely triggered something inside of him.

Something possessive.

He'd wanted her. He'd wanted her on that counter, or up against the door, or anywhere that would allow him to be with her in such an intimate way. He couldn't do that though, so he settled for helping her out with her shooting. He'd told himself he was just being helpful, but it was more than that.

It was an excuse to get close to her. To feel her body against his, and hear the hitch in her breath when he pressed into her back in just the right way. It was an excuse to touch her hand, and to murmur mindless instructions into her ear. She'd seemed just as affected as he felt, but once that arrow was fired, the tension was diminished.

She'd hit the target for the first time, feeling the need to throw her arms around his neck, and bring his body closer to hers in an even more intimate way. She was excited though, and wasn't thinking the same thoughts as he was. He was proud of her, yes. But he was also incredibly aroused.

That was his first clue that he wouldn't be returning there with her.

It was hard enough to resist her when they were doing casual things. He wasn't sure if he could do it under circumstances like that. He'd told the woman behind the desk - that he honestly hadn't thought a second about - that they'd probably be returning, but he knew it was a lie. It had been a bad idea to think that he could take her to practice archery in an environment where they had all the privacy in the world.

He'd suggested they get frozen yogurt, since he knew that would require them to be out in public, and allow him no reason to be able to get close to her. He could deal with that when they were back at her apartment. She'd agreed, and so they'd walked over to the small yogurt spot, finding that nearly empty as well. There was only a couple of people in there, but that would have to do.

The yogurt shop was designed as most are, so they got to create their desserts themselves. Oliver got vanilla, finding himself craving that for some reason. Felicity got mint chocolate chip, which Oliver already knew was her favorite. They made it to the topping station, and he sprinkled a couple of almonds on his just for health reasons. He offered Felicity some, but she shook her head quickly.

"Sorry, I'm just allergic to nuts," she explained, flushing like it was something to be embarrassed about.

"Oh," he murmured, thinking that it was something important for him to know, and filed the information away in his brain in case it ever came up again. "Well, you're not missing out on anything."

She smiled, reaching for the gummy bears instead. He motioned for her to put a couple on his as well, interested in the toppings she chose to eat with her yogurt. Then he paid for them, and they picked a quiet booth to sit at. For a while, they just sat and ate their yogurt, not finding the need to talk. But towards the end of their bowls, he started up a conversation.

"You know, when I was gone, all I'd been craving was this," he told her, not even thinking twice about sharing something about the five years he was away.

Her eyes flashed in surprise, which he assumed was for the topic. "Yeah, that must have been torture," she said, cringing once the words were out. "Not that being on an island for five years isn't torture enough, but to not have ice cream there is just a whole other story."

He laughed, eyes shining. He had no idea how she managed to make something so hard for him to talk about so easy, and even make him laugh about it. He knew it was only her. Only Felicity would be able to that for him, and the idea scared him. It scared him to know that the one person he couldn't have in that way was the only person he wanted in that way.

The universe really seemed to hate him.

* * *

 **A/N: I know this chapter wasn't too eventful, but I needed some more Olicity bonding in there before I got to the good stuff *wink, wink*. Super-major things happen in the next chapter! Review to make me happy :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for all of the sweet reviews :) I'm glad a lot of you are enjoying this so much. I can assure that you will definitely be able to see a shift in Oliver and Felicity's relationship this chapter. Oh, and because I forgot to mention it in the last chapter, how amazing are those promos for the new season? I think Marc is trying to kill us!**

* * *

 **Chapter Six**

Felicity woke up with a jolt, sounds of struggling coming from nearby. Normally, she was a heavy sleeper, able to sleep through most things. However, the noise that woke her was really loud. She turned on her bedroom light, glancing around her room in case there was an intruder in there with her. Not smart, but she was too tired to be thinking straight. Then, she recognized Oliver's pained voice and jumped to her feet. She practically ran out into the hallway, knowing that whatever was going on, she could be putting her life in danger. Still, the thought of Oliver in trouble was unbearable, which was ironic considering what his job was.

His bedroom door was open just like it always was, but she couldn't see inside of it. It was still pitch black outside, and she didn't leave any lights on in the house when she slept. The sounds of heavy breathing and struggling were even clearer now, so she entered his room anyways. She knew the room really well even though she hadn't spent much time in it. Since she didn't think she had time to turn on the light, she rushed over to the window and pulled the curtains open.

Moonlight illuminated the room, her eyes searching around for Oliver and the expected intruder. Instead, she saw Oliver by himself, thrashing around on the bed. His eyes were clenched shut, and she could just barely see that his body was damp with sweat in the small glimpses of skin available through the mess of sheets. Felicity was always quick when it came to piecing things together.

So, immediately, she knew that he was having a nightmare.

Having never been put in this sort of situation before, she reacted on pure instinct. Her feet guided her over to the bed, and she placed a hand on his arm. In an instant, she was brought onto his bed, lying underneath him. He had her pinned down, eyes wild as his hands enclosed around her throat. Okay, that had clearly been the exact _opposite_ of what she was supposed to do. Great.

"Oliver!" she yelled, repeating his name over and over again in hope that he would snap out of it.

Her eyes shut out of fear that she would be choked, but the tightening around her neck never came. Instead, she felt the weight of his body disappear, and his breathing start to even out. She opened her eyes, seeing that his were no longer frantic, but soft. He was hovering over her, supporting himself, for the most part, looking confused and guilty. The way he was staring down at her had a shiver running down her spine. Even though she was terrified, she couldn't help but notice how beautiful he looked bathed in moonlight.

"Felicity?" he whispered, her name falling from his lips like it were a question.

As if he wasn't sure if she were really there or not.

She swallowed, nodding feebly. "Yeah, it's me, Oliver. It's me."

He let out a breath, his head falling to her chest. She grabbed onto his bicep with one hand, the other landing on the back of his head. Her nails scratched lightly at his scalp, and she could see him relaxing into her touch. Tiny reassurances fell from her lips as he rested more of his weight on her, going straight into his ear. She lost track of how much time they spent like that, with her hands rubbing soothing patterns into him and his arms wrapped around her body as if she were the only thing keeping him anchored.

When he lifted his head again, she moved her hand to cup his face. "That was a pretty bad nightmare, wasn't it?"

He looked so much smaller than she had ever seen him, giving her a tiny nod. "I get them every night. This was one of my worse ones."

She nodded in understanding. "I wasn't sure what to do. How do you normally handle them?"

"I don't," he murmured. "At the mansion, I slept with my door locked. The first time it happened, I attacked my mother. After that, I refused to let them come into my room while I was asleep. They got better though, so when I took the job as your bodyguard, I was almost certain they would go away."

"And did they? I mean, before tonight," she clarified.

He shook his head, eyes locking with hers. "They never go away."

Her heart broke, and all she wanted to do was take away his pain. "What do you do, then?"

"I go back to sleep."

She studied his face. "And do they come back?" He nodded, and she looked up to prevent the tears that were threatening to fall from slipping down her cheeks. "They're about the island, aren't they?"

"Yeah," he whispered. "Some really bad things happened to me there, Felicity." He paused, licking his lips before looking back down at her. "Things that I've never thought about sharing with anyone, ever."

"You didn't deserve what happened to you."

The way he looked at her after that stole her breath away. He looked at her like he was completely certain of what he wanted, yet totally clueless at the same time. He looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the universe, and she had never been looked at like that before. She saw his pupils dilate before he swallowed thickly.

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Yes," she immediately replied, shocked that he would ask her to do something so intimate.

He only continued to surprise her when he asked, "Are you comfortable with me, Felicity?"

Once again, she didn't have to think twice about her answer. "Yes."

His expression was momentarily heated, and she could see everything he was holding back in his eyes. "Good. I'm comfortable with you, too."

Then, he lowered his head down until in was resting in the crook of her neck. She felt him inhale deeply, saw the muscles of his back flex from underneath the sheets, right before his lips were pressing into the sensitive skin underneath her ear. Her breath caught, fingers falling to the back of his neck. She waited, but he didn't do anything else. Instead, he slid his body downwards until his head was on her chest. Her hands wrapped around his broad muscles - which she just realized were deliciously bare - and knew he felt safe in this position.

She was asleep before he was.

* * *

Oliver woke up, sighing contentedly. He glanced to his side, feeling a slight weight on his chest. His heart almost stopped when he saw Felicity lying there, arms draped around him - unlike how he'd fallen asleep with her - having forgotten what had happened the night before just briefly. As he remembered what had happened and what she had done for him, realization struck him. After he fell asleep for the second time that night, the nightmares didn't come.

And they always came.

Confused, and a little worried about the emotions that were consuming him, he got out of bed. She didn't wake, but let out a noise of protest once his body was detached from hers. He paced around the room for a little bit, pulling on a shirt and trying to sort out the thoughts running through his mind. His eyes kept drifting off and onto Felicity's sleeping figure, and he just wanted to crawl back into bed next to her and pretend like he had never woken up.

His phone rang, stopping him from almost going through with that plan. It was right by Felicity, so he was careful not to wake her when he grabbed it. Unsurprisingly, it was Diggle. Really, it was like that guy could sense when Oliver was about to do something stupid. And getting into bed with a client was definitely stupid.

"Diggle, hey."

"Oliver? Why are you whispering?"

Oliver stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Sorry, I was just trying not to wake Felicity. She fell asleep out on the couch and I had my door open," he lied, praying Diggle would buy it.

He did.

"Oh. Well, I was just calling to see if you spoke to Felicity about having me over. I really want to observe so I can tell my boss I witnessed your professionalism in action."

Oliver remembered he still had yet to ask Felicity, but figured it would be okay with her. "Yeah, she won't mind if you stop by. She quit her job, so any day would work, really."

"Great. How about Tuesday?"

"Sounds good."

Diggle chuckled. "Okay, then. See you Tuesday."

Oliver hung up, scrubbing his hands over his face. Diggle always managed to make him feel guilty about Felicity. Oliver knew that Diggle was completely unaware of the way Oliver felt towards her. Like she was the closest thing to perfect. Like every second he got to spend with her was a gift. Like meeting her was fate, and he was undeserving of her time.

Oliver shook his head. No, he couldn't be thinking things like that. She was his client! This was his opportunity to pave a way for his future. A future that he actually wanted. This was his only shot to prove to his mom that he didn't need that CEO position at Queen Consolidated. He couldn't screw that up.

Plus, he didn't even know if Felicity liked him. He knew he made her nervous, but he was an intimidating person. He made a lot of people nervous. He shouldn't just assume her rambling and slight edge was due to him.

Sighing, he went back into the room. She was still asleep, wrapped around the sheets that he had used since he'd arrived there. Even though he hadn't been there long, he still considered that his bed. And seeing her in his bed sent the blood in his veins rushing. He smacked his head, taking a seat in the chair that was facing the bed. Standing was making him too tempted to climb in next to her and show her just how much he cared.

* * *

Felicity woke up, sensing something was different. The bed she was lying in was unfamiliar to her much cozier one, and the pillow beneath her head wasn't as cushioned as her favorite one. Eyes still closed, she remembered what had happened.

She had stayed the night in Oliver's room - in Oliver's _bed_ \- because he had been having bad nightmares. He had fallen asleep on her chest, arms wrapped around her unlike anything she could have ever imagined - and trust her, she had imagined it.

But, that didn't explain the emptiness she felt as she realized he wasn't in bed with her anymore. She sat up, opening her eyes and frowning. It didn't take her long to spot him across the room, sitting in a chair. He had been looking at her, and she knew without questioning him that he had been watching her sleep. She let a small smile flutter across her face.

"You know, the view is better from over here," she tempted, trying to lighten the strangely dark mood.

He didn't laugh like she had suspected. "Felicity, last night was a mistake."

Her stomach dropped. "What do you mean? Nothing happened."

"I made you sleep in my bed with me."

"Oliver, you didn't make me do anything. I wanted to stay."

She caught the tick in his jaw from across the room and knew he was restraining himself from having a reaction to her words. "Don't say that," he growled.

His snap at her not only made her anger flare, but triggered her word vomit as well. "Say what? That I liked falling asleep with you so close to me? That I've never felt safer with another person in my entire life? Is that what you don't want me to say?"

He shook his head, suddenly rising to his feet. "Stop it!"

"Why?"

He paced around the room, raking his hands over his face. "Because this can't happen, okay?"

She was surprised, not considering what the consequences of them pursuing a relationship could cause. "Why not?"

He swallowed, and she wondered why _he_ looked like the hurt one here. "I am your bodyguard. Diggle gave me a chance. My job is to protect you, and that's all. Yes, hanging out with you was nice and to be expected. When Diggle was my bodyguard, we got close as well. I'm not saying we have to stop what we we're doing completely. I'm just saying that you can no longer spend the night in my bed. I shouldn't have asked you to stay. We were being reckless."

"Don't do that," she responded, fighting back the urge to cry from the formality of his words. "You're acting like... You're acting like we had sex!"

She saw his eyes flash, and knew that for a brief second, he had imagined it. His reaction was quickly covered with a shake of his head. "No, if we'd had sex, I'd be packing up my things right now since I'd be fired."

"Oliver, you're not even assigned to a company yet. My case isn't even legally yours. Who the hell is going to fire you?"

"Diggle," he answered. "He warned me not to cross any lines with my clients. I can't screw up with my first one. Not if I want any kind of future with a professional organization."

She thought about it, and knew he was right. Becoming a bodyguard was something he really wanted, and she understood if that meant no more sleepovers in his bed. She nodded in agreement to never cross that line again, watching as he let out a relieved sigh.

"But you said nothing else will change between us, right?"

He nodded, approaching her now. "Yes, everything else will stay the same."

"Okay."

She smiled slowly, getting out of bed and giving him a brief hug. He returned the hug lightly, her leaving and heading right for the door after pulling away. There really was no reason for her to linger around in his bedroom anymore. She needed to get back to hers, and maybe take a shower. On her way out, she paused, turning around to face him.

"Hey, Oliver?" she called, leaning against the door frame and watching as his head lifted up to look at her.

"Yeah?"

She crossed her arms. "You didn't have anymore nightmares, did you?"

He seemed surprised by her question, exhaling deeply. "No."

She walked away, not needing to know anything further.

* * *

Felicity really didn't know what to do with her day. They'd agreed on taking a rain-check from jogging, since she was still exhausted from yesterday's workout, and sometimes, she needed some time to reward herself. She thought that not having a job would give her the chance to do all these great things, but now she wasn't so sure about that. With or without her job, her life was still in danger. Oliver made her feel so safe, she tended to forget the reason they had met in the first place.

But even though her life was being threatened, she couldn't just stay inside of her house and pray that nothing bad would happen to her. So far, she had been spending her days doing things to pass the time. She was starting to run low on ideas, until a brilliant one popped into her head.

Things between her and Oliver were still a little tense. After what had happened last night and the conversation he'd had with her about it this morning, things were _expected_ to be tense. So, she decided to do something with him that would erase that unwanted tension - because there was still that tension between them that she _did_ want.

She stepped out of her room, knocking on Oliver's open door before entering. "Hey, Oliver, what do you do for fun?"

He was sitting on his bed, reading over the book she had bought him from their trip to the bookstore. When she stepped in, he set the book down onto the nightstand, straightening up. She smiled, trying not to show her amusement at the fact that he was reading. Oliver Queen was not someone she'd expect to like reading. She was sure no one else knew about that detail of his life.

"What?" he asked.

"When you were at your house, what would you do for fun? You know, to pass the time?"

He lifted his head in understanding, getting to his feet. "Well, it depends on the company. With Tommy, we would go to clubs or sports bars. With Diggle, we would go eat at his favorite diner and catch up on the latest news. With Thea, we would watch movies and eat raw cookie dough."

She caught the way his eyes softened at the mention of his younger sister, and smiled. "I don't really have any movies here, but I do have Netflix. Will that work?"

He eyed her, seeming surprised. "You want to watch movies with me?"

She shrugged. "I thought we needed to take a day and just remember that we're friends; nothing more, nothing less. I mean, I know you're my bodyguard first, but I'd like to think that we're friends, too."

"We are," he confirmed, his words seeming to be forced.

For some reason, her words seemed to have dented him some. She shrugged it off, reminding herself that it was him who ended things with her before they could start. If anything, her words had hurt her the most. The brutal honesty in them was painful.

"Felicity, this is all very thoughtful of you," he told her, smiling just barely. "And Netflix is more than fine."

She released a victorious grin, bouncing on the heels of her feet a couple of times. "Okay, then, _bodyguard_ ," she teased, emphasizing the name of his position. "Unfortunately, I'm running low on raw cookie dough. I know that's a little hard to believe since I'm usually always stocked up on the stuff."

He laughed, genuinely. "Yes, how could you let your cookie dough level get this low?"

"I'm sorry," she fake apologized, still going along with their teasing banter. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"You better," he warned, grabbing his keys off of his nightstand. "Come on."

She followed after him, locking up her apartment and racing down to his car. He told her he'd be choosing the music this time, only slightly teasing her taste. She didn't take it too hard, knowing for a fact that he had enjoyed it. The grocery store he drove them to was only a few minutes away from her apartment, and was also the one she went to quite frequently.

They entered the store together after grabbing a cart, a few people staring since he was Oliver Queen, and she was the nerdy, blonde girl at his side. He didn't pay it any attention, instead guiding her through the store as if he knew it better than her. And after awhile, she believed that he did.

"How do you know exactly where to go?" she asked, watching as he turned sharply down an aisle and put a couple items into their cart. "And why are you grabbing things that are not cookie dough?"

"I know this place so well because I used to stop here for snacks when Sara lived in your complex," he explained, tossing yet another item into the basket. "And I'm grabbing stuff that isn't cookie dough because we will eventually run out of that, and you'll be begging me to run back here for more junk food."

She tried to pout, but knew he was spot-on. "Fine, it's actually a good idea."

He smiled smugly, leading her out of that aisle and into another one. "Plus, the weather forecast says to expect rain today. I wouldn't want to have to drive in that weather."

"Well, you just think of everything, don't you?" she sarcastically asked, making him chuckle.

"You'd be surprised by how prepared I can be."

She stared at him, her mind going straight to the gutter. Her face was heating up, and she could feel it. By the way he stopped the cart and turned to look at her, she knew that his mind had gone there as well. His mouth was open as if to speak, but he closed it and let out a breathy laugh.

"What kind of chips do you like, Felicity?"

She didn't know whether to be happy or frustrated about the sudden topic change, but chose not to dwell on the past. "Honestly, if there's salt on it, I'll eat it."

He laughed, throwing a few bags of Lays into their cart, and smirking back at her. "Good answer."

Once they got back to Felicity's place, Oliver was quick to walk her through how one of his movie nights went. He asked her where her linens closet was, and she directed him towards the opposite side of the apartment. She watched as he pulled out a stack of blankets, placing them on the couch. He instructed her to start emptying the chips into one big bowl, mixing them together.

"Are you sure? I can use separate bowls. I have plenty," she assured him, thinking that was his reasoning behind the strange request.

He shook his head. "No, mixing them is tradition. Trust me, you'll appreciate it when you won't have to reach into different bowls just to experience all the flavors at once."

She laughed. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

He grinned. "You love it."

"I do," she agreed, making him pause briefly in his mission to look at her.

And just as quickly as he had stopped, he was going again, taking pillows out from his room and bringing them into the living room. She carried all of the snacks out onto the coffee table, making sure to stay out of his way as he brought out more pillows.

"What, are you planning on building a fort here?" she asked, humor in her tone.

"No, it's not a fort. The pillows and blankets just add to the comfort when it comes to movie nights," he explained, his ego seeming to take offense to her fort comment.

"I think pillows and blankets add to comfort on any night," she told him, earning a nod.

"I'm with you on that." He glanced around the room, clapping his hands together. "Okay, next rule of movie night: no regular clothes. Go put your pajamas on," he instructed.

She agreed easily, not planning on wearing her jeans all night anyways. And wow, was she grateful that she had said that in her head. She could already picture the look on Oliver's face had she said that out loud.

When she had finished getting dressed into her pajamas, she came back out into the living room to find Oliver standing there, wearing his blue soft pants and a white cotton shirt. Damn, he looked good. He smiled at the sight of her, applauding exaggeratedly.

"Well, well, well. Look who cleans down nice," he complimented, teasing her in a way that shouldn't thrill her as much as it did.

She knew she looked good to be in pajamas though. She had gone with something a little more revealing than what she would normally wear to sleep in. That was because most nights, she didn't plan on a guy ever seeing her in her pajamas. But, since Oliver had requested it, she brought out her much nicer ones.

She had on shorts that were probably the shortest thing she owned, knowing she could get away with it since they technically were pajama shorts. Above that, she wore a spaghetti strap that clung to her skin to show off just how fit those self-defense classes with Diggle had made her. Hell, she looked damn good, too.

"Okay, what next?" she asked, stepping further into the living room.

He took a second to consider what the next step would be, face lighting up when he got the idea. "Thea and I always make sure the house is completely dark before we start the movie."

He walked over to her window, staring outside. She came up to him, gazing out the window as well.

"Guess you were right about that rain. Those storm clouds came out of nowhere. It's getting dark already."

He didn't respond, instead pulling her curtains together and cascading them in the darkness. He turned on the television, the light from it helping her see some. She got her Netflix going, switching on the kitchen light so that he could see whatever he was doing with the blankets. She stayed back and watched as he spread them out, running a hand over them to get rid of the creases. He set the pillows up against the arm rests, tucking them underneath the blankets.

"Okay, I have to admit that this looks incredibly comfy," she said, coming up from behind him.

"Thanks."

He ushered her onto the couch, and she snuggled up underneath all the blankets. He turned off the kitchen light, joining her on the couch. They munched on the snacks in silence as she scrolled through the movie section on Netflix, neither seeing anything they liked. Eventually, they decided to put on some foreign film neither of them had seen, thinking that a change might be good from something they would be expecting.

Towards the end of the movie, the rain started to pour down outside. When the movie ended, her and Oliver looked out the window to admire the beautiful weather. The sky was darkening quickly, making it appear to be night time when it was only six in the afternoon.

They returned to the couch, picking out an Adam Sandler movie since they both needed a good laugh. And from there on out, they stuck to Adam Sandler movies, watching one after another. The rain never stopped coming down, relaxing both of them until it became a struggle to keep their eyes open.

During their fourth movie, both of them had fallen asleep. Felicity was against the armrest, her head tilted back into the cushion of the couch. Her pillow was in her lap, occupied by Oliver's head. His blankets were pulled up to his neck, one arm draped around Felicity's stomach, somehow finding its way underneath her shirt so that it was skin-to-skin contact. Her hands were in his hair, the brightness from the TV screen illuminating them.

Neither had planned on going to sleep. Or, at least, not consciously. Maybe subconsciously, this was what both of them wanted. Oliver didn't think much of it when he lowered himself to lay in her lap, and she didn't think to stop him. They were both already asleep when his arm had wrapped around her midriff, that just being an apparent newly discovered reflex for Oliver. And by new, it meant that never had he reached out to wrap his arms around something in his sleep before tonight.

There were a lot of uncertainties after that night, and the only thing Oliver was sure of when he awoke the next morning to their bodies entangled in one another's, was that he didn't have nightmares.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Sara will be returning very soon, and she's always so much fun to write. Leave me a review! Every single one of them is appreciated, I promise!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

They didn't talk about the way they had fallen asleep, knowing the discussion would only do harm to their relationship. Oliver knew he didn't have to bring it up, because his communication with Felicity could be done without words. Felicity understood him, and knew that both times she had slept with him, the nightmares went away. He wasn't sure what that meant, and was too afraid to find out.

After that night though, she suggested they make movie night a regular thing. He knew she had only made the suggestion because she wanted to keep his nightmares away. He was too stubborn to just ask her, so she was finding a way to do it without needing permission. Of course he'd agreed, trying to dismiss the paralyzing thought that he was falling for her.

Things were going really well for them. They got along better with each passing second, spending their entire days together. They passed the time by doing more shopping at bookstores near her and record stores that supplied much more than just records. Felicity was constantly finding shops for them to explore, and they spent so much time doing that, their little jogging sessions got placed on the back burner. He let her drive his car one time, laughing when finally got the hang of stick and started screaming in joy.

Oliver loved the way things were between them. Even though he enjoyed every second he spent with her, he was always on alert. Any person who gave her suspicious glances or seemed to be following them were interrogated by Oliver without a second of hesitation. Every time, it was always a false alarm. Still, Felicity told him he was doing a great job and she was no longer scared because of him.

Things were going so well, in fact, that Oliver began to fear something was going to come and screw it all up. And he should have trusted that feeling. His gut was what got him through some of the toughest situations in his life. The tightened, sickening worry he felt it in, should not have been ignored.

Tuesday came around quickly, and Oliver forgot that Diggle planned on stopping by. So, when there was a knock on Felicity's door in the middle of her daily cup of coffee with Oliver, they were both confused. Oliver instructed her to go hide while he grabbed his gun from behind his headboard. Stealthily, he stalked over to the door, swinging it open and holding the gun firmly behind his back.

As his eyes took in Diggle, he relaxed, letting the gun be seen by him. Diggle turned to face Oliver, having been looking behind him. His eyes widened, and Oliver realized that the weapon was visible.

"Whoa!" Diggle exclaimed, raising his hands up at the sight of the gun. "It's just me, Oliver."

Oliver hid his hand again, mind racing. "Oh, God. I am so sorry, Digg."

"Don't be. I'm just glad to see you taking this so seriously. Felicity's in good hands."

Oliver let out a breathy noise, stepping back so that Diggle could come in. Oliver tucked the head of the gun into the back of his pants, right after checking the safety was on. Diggle's eyes landed on the two mugs of coffee on the table and the fact that two of the chairs had been moved closer together. Oliver panicked and picked up the mugs, placing them in the sink. He leaned against the counter nervously, trying not to look like he had a reason to be guilty.

"Felicity!" he called. "You can come out now!"

There was a quietness in the room until she padded out, eyes landing on Oliver first. She saw Diggle next, grinning wide.

"John, what are you doing here?"

He crossed his arms, smiling at her. "Didn't Oliver tell you? I'm stopping by to see how things are going."

"I must have forgotten," Oliver said, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Felicity."

"No, don't be," she replied, going over to her coffee maker. "Would you like a cup of coffee, John?"

"That would be great," he agreed.

Felicity nodded, taking a mug out of her cabinet and filling it with the extra coffee she usually saved for herself. Handing it over to Diggle, she urged him to take a seat at the table. Oliver remained against the counter, hoping that keeping his distance from Felicity would make it easier to pretend like she was just a client to him - which was getting harder to believe.

"Sorry for missing your classes lately," she apologized. "I've sort of taken a vacation from anything routine. Except for my coffee, of course."

Diggle chuckled. "It's okay. I figured you needed a break after the whole package thing at your job. Did you have any luck tracing who sent it?"

She frowned. "Unfortunately not. It was paid for with cash."

They were quiet for a moment, leaving Oliver time to think about what Diggle had said. Yes, he had known Felicity had worked in the IT Department at Queen Consolidated. Yes, she had told him she graduated from MIT. Still, hearing her and Diggle talk so casually about how she had the ability to trace packages and hack accounts was surprising for him.

"Well, from the looks of it Oliver is doing a great job," Diggle started, smirking at Oliver in a silent praise.

Felicity grinned, glancing back at Oliver. "Yes, he's doing fantastic. I've never felt so safe since the incident."

A rush of something Oliver couldn't quite place ran through his veins at her words. This was the second time he'd heard her describe her life as safe because of him, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. He couldn't help but break out in a grin, staring at the ground in case Diggle spotted it. And he was sure anyone would be able to within a five mile radius of him.

"You don't know how proud I am to hear that. I was worried he wasn't going to be able to handle something so serious," Diggle admitted, speaking as if Oliver wasn't standing two feet away from him. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you about his past. He used to be on the cover of every tabloid in Starling City."

"People can change, John. You have nothing to be worried about," she assured, giving Oliver another smile that sent his heart racing about a million beats per minute.

Diggle followed her eyes this time, looking suspiciously at Oliver.

Fuck.

Oliver cleared his throat, wiping his hands on his slacks before stepping forward. "Things have been going really well, Digg. There haven't been anymore threats on Felicity's life, but I haven't let my guard down."

Diggle nodded. "Good. Hopefully it stays that way." The room was silent until John clapped his hands together, gaining their attention. "How about we go grab something to eat? I'm rarely on this side of Starling City, and the restaurants are supposed to be incredible."

"Yeah, sounds good," Oliver agreed.

Diggle stood up, followed by Felicity, who was so glad she had gotten ready earlier that morning.

"Have you eaten at any good places since you've been here, Oliver?" Diggle asked, following him out the door.

Oliver thought about it shaking his head. "Actually, Felicity's been doing most of the cooking. We've only gone out to eat a handful of times."

Diggle gave him a look he couldn't read before looking Felicity's way. "Is that right? I didn't know you could cook, Felicity."

"I try," she said, flushing slightly.

"She's amazing at it," Oliver stated, watching as her eyes moved up to meet his.

"Have you eaten at any good places, Felicity?" Diggle asked, drawing her attention away from Oliver.

"A few," she answered, taking a moment to think about it. "There's this great Thai place ten minutes from here."

Diggle considered it, nodding. "That sounds great. I'll drive."

* * *

Lunch went well, and Oliver grew more comfortable the longer he was with them. He started to act like his regular self with Felicity, teasing her about little things she'd do and making remarks he knew she'd laugh at. She smacked him a few times, her eyes dancing with humor the entirety of the lunch. Diggle shared a few jokes, getting along with Felicity in a way that surprised Oliver.

By the time they were back at Felicity's, they were all in a happy mood. The food had been delicious, and the company had been great as well. Felicity claimed she needed a good power nap after a meal like that, and Diggle told her he was heading out anyways. Felicity had gone inside her apartment, but Diggle asked Oliver to stay behind for a minute.

This was what Oliver was expecting. He knew Diggle was going to speak with him about his performance. So far, anything Diggle had said about it had been great. Oliver wasn't worried at all. So, he put his hands in his pockets, a hint of a smile shadowing his lips as he waited for Diggle to speak.

"You know, Oliver, I was impressed by you today," he began. "I watched how alert you were at the restaurant, scanning the room once we entered and keeping track of whoever walked in. I didn't get the hang of that stuff until my third case."

"The island has made me paranoid, Digg," Oliver admitted, his words coming off jokingly. "I always make sure I'm aware of my surroundings."

"And I noticed," Diggle said with an unreadable expression. "But I also noticed the way you were acting with Felicity."

Oliver felt his heart stop. "What do you mean?"

Diggle gave him a pointed look, shaking his head. "I'm not a fool, Oliver. And I'm also not blind. I saw the way you were looking at her. Now, I was expecting it from her, but you? You were supposed to be the professional one. You promised me."

"Diggle, it's not like that," Oliver tried justifying.

"Oh, it's not? Then tell me, Oliver. How exactly is it like?"

Oliver struggled for the right words, not knowing the answer to that himself. "We're friends."

Diggle snickered, uncrossing his arms. "Friends? Well, even if that were true, it's still not okay."

"It's not okay for me to become friends with my client?" Oliver questioned, finding that absurd. "You became friends with me."

"Yeah, but that was different. There was no attraction between us, Oliver," Diggle pointed out. "I had Lyla and you had Laurel. Not to mention the fact that we're both heterosexual."

"I'm not attracted to Felicity," Oliver argued, not sounding too convincing.

Diggle pressed his lips together, sighing. "You're a terrible liar, Oliver."

"Nothing is going to happen, Digg. I won't let it."

"Oliver, the reason I warned you not to mess around with your clients is because it distracts you from your work."

"But you just told me how focused I am," Oliver reminded him.

Diggle nodded. "And you are. But once you guys get closer, that focus will start to slip away. Felicity will be the one paying for that when it happens, and do you really want that?" Diggle paused for a second, exhaling. "I'm sorry, Oliver. This was your test case, and now I feel like I can't assign you to female clients."

He began to walk away, but Oliver's voice stopped him. "Give me another chance," he begged. "I won't screw it up, okay? I'll stop treating Felicity like she's my friend, and I'll start treating her like she's my client. I _won't_ screw this up, Diggle."

Diggle let out a sigh, feeling bad that he was forcing Oliver to do something like this. Under any other circumstance, he would be encouraging Oliver to pursue Felicity. It was clear that they cared for each other. But this was crossing a line that he had learned long ago should never be crossed. This was the only way.

"Okay, Oliver," he agreed. "You get one more chance. Show me just how serious you take this job, and I'll forget whatever I know I saw between the two of you today."

Oliver released a relieved breath, shaking hands with Diggle. "Thank you."

"No problem, man. Now, take care. I'll be in touch to see how you're handling everything."

And with that, Diggle left, abandoning Oliver with issues he wasn't sure how to solve.

* * *

Instead of being in her room like Oliver expected, Felicity was sitting at the kitchen table. She smiled at him when he walked in, bouncing up and down on her leg. Oliver felt as though he'd been punched in the gut, no where near ready to having the discussion they needed to have. The fact that she was grinning at him like he was the greatest thing in the world definitely wasn't helping.

"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, smile dropping from her face to be replaced by worry.

He snapped out of his thoughts, trying not to look as upset as he felt. "Like what?"

"Like you're about to tell me I have three months to live," she told him, standing up. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Oliver clenched his jaw, deciding that now was the time to say what needed to be said. "Felicity, my relationship with you has become unprofessional."

"What are you talking about?" she questioned, looking confused and hurt at the same time.

He swallowed. "I shouldn't have treated you the way that I did."

" _Treated me the way that you did_?" Felicity repeated, saying it as if it were a question. "What the hell are you talking about, Oliver? This is because of Diggle again, isn't it? What did he say?"

Oliver shook his head, refusing to meet her eyes. "This is because I don't want to lose my job. I need to be on alert at all times, and my friendship with you has been affecting that."

"Bullshit," she murmured, stepping closer to him as her voice raised. "You're just repeating what Diggle told you. You know that our friendship isn't ruining your focus. You know that's not true!"

He forced himself to not move, looking her in the eyes now. Her chest was heaving from her yelling and she was nearly against him. He wanted so badly to bring her in those extra three inches until her lips were on his. He wanted to forget all about what everyone else thought and focus solely on what he thought. He wanted _her_.

But, no, he would not let that happen.

"I'm sorry, Felicity, but this is the way it has to be from now on," he said, hurt when she gave a nod of acceptance.

"Okay, then. I'm sorry that you feel having a friendship with me is too challenging."

His heart clenched. That was _not_ what he was saying. "Felicity-"

"I think I'm going to go take that nap now," she interrupted, and he knew she was on the verge of tears. "You can stand guard by my door, or whatever the hell the protocol is."

"Felicity," he tried again, stopping when she reeled around on her heels.

"Oh, and since we're on a client-bodyguard only basis, I think you should start using my last name. I'll call you by yours as well, Mr. Queen."

His grit his teeth, hating that new lash of formality she was now demanding. "I thought you didn't like that."

"I'll get over it," she muttered, stalking off before he could say another word.

* * *

Oliver had nightmares again that night. Going that short while without them was amazing, and he had already gotten used to sleeping peacefully through the night, something he had once deemed impossible. So, to go back to dreams filled with blood and death was damn near torture. Especially since he knew the solution to his horrid nightmares was only one room over.

He wasn't sure if she'd heard him panicking after the first nightmare last night, and he wasn't going to ask. When he finally did decide it was time to leave his room and find out what Felicity had planned for the day, he was cautious. There was that usual coffee smell lingering in the air, making Oliver feel warm inside. As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, that feeling quickly went away.

Felicity wasn't in there this time. There was a cup of coffee sitting on the counter, and he knew it was his since it was the same mug he used every morning. A bitterness filled his mouth, and he lost his craving for the hot liquid. He wondered if it was going to be like this from now on, where she only spent time with him when necessary.

Yes, that was what he had asked of her, but a part of him was hoping she wouldn't go through with it. A fraction of him had hoped she would sleep off her anger, and they would make up. A larger part of him was glad she hadn't, because he knew he wouldn't be able to cut their personal ties a second time.

He walked over to the mug, bringing it to his lips after deciding he wasn't going to let it go to waste. He faced the window, imaging what it would be like to have met Felicity under different circumstances. Would there still be that attraction between them? Would she still make him coffee every morning? Would she still tuck her head under his chin at night? Would she still mumble his name in her sleep?

His thoughts were cut short when he heard a noise from behind him, turning around to find Felicity standing there, already dressed for the day.

"I have plans with Sara tonight," she informed him tonelessly.

He stared at her, feeling as though he'd been kicked in the gut. "What time?"

"She's coming here at seven," she answered. "We're going to Oblivion, and I assured her we won't have to worry about driving drunk since you'll be taking us to and from."

He nodded, going along with it. "She doesn't work tonight?"

Felicity shook her head. "No, but tonight is about getting me drunk anyways." She turned around before he could respond, stopping once again. "I'm going to need a new pair of heels for tonight, so if you can be ready within the hour, that would be great."

"Of course, Ms. Smoak."

She gave him a pleased smile at the use of her last name, and he couldn't help but return it. "Thank you, Mr. Queen."

* * *

Oliver stood idly by in the back of the small shoe store, focusing his attention on his surroundings. Scanning over each and every individual thing definitely kept his eyes from wandering over to where Felicity was trying on heels that made her legs go on for days. Damn him if she didn't have the best legs he'd ever seen. A store clerk was by her side, fetching her whatever shoe in whatever size she wanted.

Oliver caught himself staring a few times, his mouth going dry as he watched her strut in front of the long mirror. Thankfully, she never caught him, or else he wouldn't have been able to explain that one. The conversation probably would have involved a lot of stuttering and possibly him finding his inner Felicity. Well, the version of her who rambled and babbled herself into oblivion, and not the version of her who could have him on his knees with just a snap of her fingers. Okay, he really shouldn't have thought about being on his knees in front of her. The thought was way too tempting.

When they left that store, Felicity had four pairs of heels with her, the bags hanging proudly from her arms. He offered to hold her bags for her, but she dismissed his offer, claiming that she liked holding them herself.

After her shoes were safely inside the trunk of her car, she told him to take her to this smoothie place where she purchased a strawberry smoothie and a slice of lemon cake. Unbeknownst to Oliver, she bought a slice for him as well, sliding it over to him without a word. That was the nicest she'd been to him all day, and it was greatly appreciated.

Just because he had to start treating her like his client didn't mean they couldn't be civil with each other. Her hostility towards him made sense since he had decided their relationship without giving her a choice. He could only hope she would get over it soon and the tension between them would ease.

When he brought her back to her apartment, she went straight to her room. She shut the door behind her, ridding any chance he had of talking to her. That was probably a good thing since he had no idea what he would say. He didn't know how to make things better between them unless he became her friend again. He felt trapped, stuck, unsure of what to do.

He thought about what Diggle would do when he was occupied, since he no longer had Felicity with him to pass the time. Drawing up blank, he decided to grab his book from his room and read it out on the couch. At first, he kept getting distracted. Felicity had turned on her music at one point, and he found himself humming along to one of the songs she had showed him and he'd denied that he liked.

He didn't know at what point he had become engrossed in the book, but before he knew it, it was seven o'clock and Sara was pounding on the door. Oliver stood to answer it, swinging it open to find Sara grinning widely on the other side. She entered the house comfortably, setting her purse on the table and bringing Oliver in for a hug. Oliver returned it, remembering that he could treat Sara the same way he always had.

"Where's Felicity?" Sara asked, typing something into her phone.

Oliver lead her down the hallway and to Felicity's room, knocking on the door. Felicity opened it, and he caught glimpse of the clothes scattered across her room. He quickly averted his eyes back to her, where she was staring at him.

"Sara's here, Ms. Smoak," he informed her, and her eyes traveled behind him to find Sara standing there.

"'Ms. Smoak'," Sara repeated scrunching up her face. "What the hell is that about? Are you two doing some roleplay thing I should know about? Because if so, I am totally in."

Felicity scowled at her friend, pulling her into her room and shutting the door on Oliver's face. Oliver stood there for a few seconds, a little overwhelmed with the idea of him and Felicity participating in something as sexual as roleplay. Now, he was going to hear a whole new meaning when Felicity called him by his last name.

As if he needed another reason to want her.

* * *

Not having her morning coffee with Oliver was horrible. Felicity looked forward to that everyday. It was something she had gotten used to, and giving it up was a very difficult decision to make. Another difficult thing she had to do was stay in her room last night. She had heard Oliver's thrashing and struggle for breath as his nightmares returned to him. If she wasn't certain he would hate her, she would have crawled into bed next to him, and held him until they went away like they always seemed to do in her presence.

She had texted Sara after her fight with Oliver, telling her she was in need of a night out. Sara was all too quick to agree, not asking Felicity what the problem was or why she wanted to go drinking in the middle of the week. She was thankful for that, not wanting to get into that mess anyway.

It was going to be a long time until Sara arrived at her place, so she decided to kill time by doing a little shoe shopping. She dragged Oliver with her to several stores, none of which had shoes she liked very much. Then she remembered this small shop she had discovered with Sara a few months back, and directed Oliver towards it. There, she found four pairs of shoes that she loved equally.

When she was back home, she went straight to her room to find something to wear. Before she knew it, everything she owned was spread out on her bed, and she couldn't decide what to wear. It had been a long time since she'd been out, and she regretted not going shopping for clothes with Oliver earlier. She still hadn't made up her mind, when there was a brief knock on her door.

She maneuvered her way through discarded clothes, careful not to step on anything she might wear still. Opening her door, she came face to face with Oliver. His eyes took in her room first, before landing back on hers. She didn't expect him to be standing so close to the door, and the urge to pull him inside her room and lock it was almost overwhelming.

"Sara's here, Ms. Smoak," he said, and she glanced past him to see Sara standing there, looking as if Oliver had just grown another head.

"'Ms. Smoak'," she repeated, earning Oliver's attention now. "What the hell is that about? Are you two doing some roleplay thing I should know about? Because if so, I am totally in."

Frustrated, Felicity yanked Sara into her room. The last thing she needed was Oliver finding another reason to want to keep things between them professional. She'd been hoping something would change his mind, and what Sara had said definitely wasn't helping. Plus, it put the image of roleplay with Oliver in her head. Yeah, that would be fun.

"What the hell are you doing, Felicity?" Sara asked, finding her footing as she was hauled into the room.

"Sara, you can't just go around saying those sorts of things," Felicity scolded, trying not to be too loud in case Oliver was still near the door.

Sara looked confused, watching as Felicity paced the room. "Something happened, didn't it? Tell me."

"Nothing happened," Felicity lied. "Oliver and I have just decided to treat each other professionally. Anything else is endangering my life."

"What are you talking about?" Sara questioned. "Honestly, Felicity, those sound more like Oliver's words than your own."

Felicity sighed, hating how Sara could always see right through her. "Fine, it was Oliver's decision. If he can't prove to John that he can maintain a professional relationship with me, he can't get a position at the company."

Sara encouraged Felicity to take a seat on the bed, joining her. "So, what? Is he not talking to you anymore?"

"Not like before," Felicity murmured, feeling her eyes start to burn. "It sucks, Sara."

Sara placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at her sympathetically. "Is this why you wanted to drink tonight?"

"Yeah," Felicity admitted. "I just need to let out some steam and forget all about this drama."

Sara nodded. "Okay, then. Tonight, we'll get drunk and check out boys and dance with strangers. You won't even know Oliver is there."

"You promise?"

Sara grinned, happy to already be cheering her friend up. "I promise. Now, let's find you something to wear that'll make Oliver wish he could quit his job."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

An hour later they were emerging from Felicity's room, ready for a night of fun. Sara had come ready, so she'd devoted her time to helping Felicity. By the time she was done, she had no doubt Felicity would be turning some heads tonight. She had on a black dress with a slit along the right side. It was tight and exactly the kind of dress to wear to a club. Accompanying it were a pair of black heels that extended Felicity's legs by a mile. Sara had curled her hair until it was tumbling down Felicity's shoulders in mesmerizing waves.

Felicity felt confident about herself and the idea that tonight would be fun. It always was with Sara by her side. So, as she entered the living room to tell Oliver it was time to go, she wore a brilliant smile. He stood up at the sound of her approaching, turning around to face her and nearly stumbling over his own two feet.

His mouth gaped open almost as if he had no control over it. He was totally checking her out, and that boosted her confidence by a million. Felicity watched him, getting the feeling that if she were to kiss him right now, he wouldn't stop her. The thought was almost too tempting. Then, Sara entered the room, giving Oliver a weird look.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked, breaking the spell between him and Felicity. "Why are you looking at her like- oh my God, I just got it. Okay, I'll just be down in the car if you need me."

"Sara," Felicity started, face heating up.

"Take your time, please," Sara advised, oblivious or just choosing to ignore Felicity's irritation.

"Sara!" Felicity repeated, turning to face her friend. "Cut it out."

Sara raised her hands in defense, trying to act like the victim. Felicity wasn't having it, and shook her head angrily at her. She left the room, not looking back to see if they were following her. They were, Sara looking ashamed while Oliver still looked starstruck. Felicity sat in the back, not wanting to sit up front with Oliver and knowing Sara would make a big deal out of it if she did.

Oliver knew where Oblivion was, which left Sara and Felicity the entire drive to talk nonsense. Sara mostly talked about her job and Nyssa. Felicity got a few words in about the coffee shop she'd found and her visit with John. As they were nearing the club, the change in topic definitely caught the attention of Oliver, who had been lost in his thoughts the whole time.

"Remember, you're not allowed to have more than five drinks," Sara told her.

Oliver glanced at Felicity through the mirror, focusing his attention back on the road as his curiosity only continued to peak.

"Oh, come on. Nothing will happen," Felicity said, shrugging off Sara's warning.

"I'm serious, Felicity," Sara pressed, seeming sincere. "Every time you have more than five drinks, you end up with your tongue down someone's throat."

Oliver's grip on the steering wheel tightened, a rush of anger swirling through his veins. The thought of Felicity making out with random losers at a club was too much. He made a vow to himself that he wouldn't let her drink over five drinks. He didn't care if she got mad at him. If she was going to make stupid decisions, he'd rather she do it somewhat sober.

"Yeah, well I think that has more to do with the person who's pouring me those drinks," Felicity accused. "You just had to keep making them 'special'."

Sara scoffed. "It was your birthday," she justified. "And that doesn't explain the other six times."

Oliver pulled into the parking lot of the club, cutting the engine. "We're here, Ms. Smoak."

Felicity looked over at him, as if this was her first time becoming aware that he was in the car. She didn't say anything to him though, instead hopping out through the door and following Sara into the club. Their ID's were checked, and they got to skip the long line of people awaiting entrance since Sara was a bartender there. Inside, the club was stuffed with people in their twenties, grinding on each other. Sara dragged Felicity over to the bar, offering to pay for her first drink.

"Hey, Danny," Sara greeted the bartender behind the bar..

He was a tall, scrawny guy who looked a little too young to be in a club. He had messy hair and a light mustache. Felicity had met him a few times before and Sara was constantly talking about him since they were really close.

"Sara, of course you're spending your night off in the club," he teased, sliding someone a drink. "What can I get for you?"

Sara grinned, touching Felicity on the shoulder. "She'll have a dirty martini, and I'll take a shot of your finest tequila."

"You sure about that?" Danny asked, his face still showing signs of humor. "I know how horribly this job pays."

"Okay, how about a shot of you're most adequate tequila?" Sara corrected, receiving a nod of approval.

"Now, that, I can do."

Felicity watched as Danny poured Sara's shot, sliding it over before starting on her drink. While he was busy with that, she looked over at Oliver. He was standing to the left of her, his eyes glued to her. She felt the heat rise to her face, thankful for the terrible lighting in the club. Telling Sara she'd be right back, she walked up to Oliver.

"You can wait in the car, if you want," she told him, actually concerned he'd hate being in a club and not being allowed to drink.

He shook his head. "I have to keep my eyes on you all night."

"Well, maybe not _all_ night," she responded, only meaning to joke but swallowing when his eyes turned a bit darker. "Look, I'm going to have Sara attached to my hip the whole time. She's a trained fighter, and she won't let anything happen to me. It's okay if you relax a little."

"I won't go wait in the car, but how about I sit at the bar?" he compromised.

She gave a fraction of a smile, nodding in agreement. "That's fine. Thank you."

She went back to Sara, finding her engaged in a conversation with Danny about who the better bartender was. Felicity didn't want to say anything, but the fact that Danny was having this debate and maintaining a crowd of demanding people was enough to convince her who the better one was. When Sara was behind the bar, any little thing distracted her from her task. That was just the way she was, and Felicity loved her for it.

"Hey, what can I get you?" Danny asked, directing his question towards Oliver who had just taken a seat next to Felicity.

Felicity felt her shoulders tense up uncontrollably, not expecting him to come up from behind her and remain so close.

"I'll just have a coke. I'm kind of on the job right now," Oliver explained.

Sara gestured towards Oliver, speaking to Danny once again. "This is Oliver. He's my childhood friend, and also Felicity's bodyguard."

"Bodyguard?" Danny repeated, shooting Felicity an intrigued look. "What exactly did you do, Blondie?"

Felicity shrugged innocently, leaning forward as if she were going to tell him. "Wouldn't you like to know, Danny," she whispered, pulling back to find Sara in a mass of giggles.

Danny frowned, pointing a rag at her. "Not funny. I really want to know."

"Maybe you should buy her a drink first," Sara suggested, and Felicity gave her a subtle ' _what-the-hell-are-you-doing'_ look.

Danny grinned, nodding. "Okay. After you finish your first one," he started, gesturing towards the drink that Felicity still had yet to touch, "I'll buy you the next."

Deciding there was no harm in it, she smiled. "Sounds good. Maybe by the end of the night, you'll get me to confess."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Felicity looked down, flushing at the obvious flirtation going on between them. She had almost forgotten Oliver was sitting next to her. _Almost_. She ignored him though, reaching for her martini and taking a sip of it. It tasted great, and she hummed her approval to Danny who looked like his ego had been fed by her appraisal. Sara pulled her away from the bar when Felicity set her finished drink down, instructing Oliver to save their spots.

Sara lead her to the back of the club, speaking loudly so Felicity could hear her over the music and other chatter. "So, what do you think about you and Danny?"

"What?" Felicity asked, even though she knew exactly what Sara had meant.

"Look, he's cute and really nice. Plus, you guys always get along really well when you do see each other," Sara pointed out.

Felicity frowned. "I don't know. I don't feel right about it because of..."

"Because of Oliver," Sara finished.

Felicity sighed. "Yeah."

"He's jealous, you know," Sara informed her, and Felicity turned around to spot Oliver glaring at Danny.

She shook her head, not understanding why that would ever be the case. "He's not jealous, Sara. He's just looking out for me. It's kind of his job."

"Well, you didn't see the way he was looking at you and Danny. I thought he was going to explode." She paused, watching as Felicity gnawed on her lower lip. "Felicity, he may not act like it anymore, but he likes you."

"Even before all this weirdness, all we were was friends," Felicity reminded her. "Nothing else was going on between us."

Sara gave her friend a sympathetic smile. "I wasn't there, so I don't know what it was like. All I know is what I saw the first time I saw you guys together, and what I've seen tonight. If you guys were nothing more than friends, then I think you should give Danny a chance. I'm not saying you have to sleep with him, but at least talk to him. You might end up surprising yourself."

Felicity took her words in, finding herself nodding. "You're right, Sara. There's no harm in me giving Danny a chance."

"Great, now don't hate me for what I'm about to do."

Felicity didn't have time to ask her what she meant before she was strutting back over to the bar, determination written across her face. She only trailed after her, trying to ignore the curious looks Oliver was shooting her way.

"Danny, how about you take Felicity for a dance?" she suggested, making all three people give her dismayed expressions.

Danny furrowed his brows, gesturing towards the bar. "I kind of have to work."

"I'll cover your shift," Sara offered.

"What?" Felicity questioned, her voice raised a lot higher than necessary. "Sara-"

"Come on, Danny," she pressed. "I promised my friend a fun night. Don't you want to help me out a bit?"

Danny looked at Felicity, seeming to make up his mind. "There's no way in hell I'm going to pass up an offer like that."

Sara grinned victoriously, trading places with Danny behind the bar. She shot Felicity a wink of encouragement, immediately switching to her professional mode. Felicity stared at the ground, much more nervous with no bar separating her and Danny. He gave an embarrassed chuckle, wiping his hands on his black pants.

"So, you want to dance? Or was Sara just messing with me again?"

She laughed, taking a shot. "No, she was serious. I'd love to dance."

And so she let Danny drag her off into the mass of people, being consumed in the thumping bass and probing lights. She felt Danny's hands land on her waist, just high enough for her to be okay with. Her arms looped around his neck, their bodies coming together as they bumped to the crazy song. Her face went into his chest, her head tucked under his chin. She pulled back almost instantly, the action reminding her too much of Oliver.

"Something wrong?" Danny asked, speaking right in her ear.

She shook her head. "No, nothing at all."

She'd lied.

* * *

Oliver watched as Danny pulled Felicity into the mass of people, feeling a hollowness in his chest. That, mixed with the undeniable rage, was having him gripping the glass of coke in his hand a little too tightly. Sara's hand enclosed around his death grip, bringing him out of his red haze.

"That glass is expensive," she informed him, taking it out of his hands once his grip was loose enough. "Plus, it didn't do anything to you."

Oliver glared at her. "Why do you want her with that guy so bad?"

"I don't," Sara said, furrowing her brows. "I just want Felicity to have a good time tonight."

He snickered. "By what? Hooking up with your coworker?"

"If that will make her happy, then yes."

His eyes shot up to hers, betrayal written across them. "Trust me, he is the last person who will make her happy."

Sara eyed him, more sure of her observations than ever. "Yeah, well the first person who would make her happy decided his job was more important than her."

Oliver froze, anger now gone to be replaced with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

She sighed. "Look, Oliver, Felicity told me about how you decided professionalism outweighed your friendship with her. And I get it. You want to make something out of your life that can't be handed to you. I totally respect your decision. But you should have made your intentions clear to Felicity before you built up this thing with her."

"I didn't expect it to get as out of hand as it did," he defended, though he knew she was right. "I didn't want to hurt her."

"I know you didn't, but it happened anyways. You can't be mad at her for flirting around. She's single, and she deserves it. And did you see how hot she is? Don't even try to deny it. I saw how you were looking at her."

"Yes, and thank you for calling me out on it in front of Felicity," he sarcastically remarked, making her smirk at her own actions.

"You two are ridiculous." She paused, turning serious. "You really like her, don't you?"

He shook his head. "I'm not answering that. My relationship with Felicity doesn't need the strain of me saying things I'll regret later."

"Don't be an asshole, Oliver," Sara warned. "I'll break you if I have to."

Oliver didn't fight her on that, but he was curious as to what she meant. "Break me how?"

Sara shrugged. "Let's just say that if you think resisting her is hard now, you have no idea what's coming."

He swallowed. "Are you threatening me, Sara Lance?"

"We'll see," she replied, pulling away from the bar, but stopping to address him again. "Leave her alone, okay? She's fine."

Oliver nodded uncertainly, waiting for her to walk away before turning around to stare into the crowd in an attempt to see Felicity. He managed to catch glimpses of her every once in a while, that being the only thing keeping him from seeking her out. It was his job to protect her, after all. He didn't trust this Danny guy, and he most definitely did not trust the clump of drunks surrounding him.

Three songs later, he saw her emerge from the crowd, hair slightly frizzed from the heat of too many people. She didn't return to him though, walking over to the other side of the bar. There were two empty seats, and her and Danny filled them. Sara made her way over to them, and Oliver would bet anything she was teasing them by the way Felicity was looking down and grinning.

He watched as Danny ordered Felicity another drink just as promised. It was something different this time, something with a pinkish color and a pineapple wedge hanging off the glass. Sara stuck a straw in it, walking up to the next person to take their order. Oliver felt sick, watching Danny make Felicity laugh and bow her head in embarrassment.

He knew he should look away. Felicity wouldn't want him watching her the entire night, and it wasn't exactly making him feel good. Still, he found himself staring. When he saw Danny order her another one of those drinks, his defenses flared. He knew not to let her get to five drinks, and three was pushing it a little too close for his liking. Danny definitely seemed to be liking it though, his intentions becoming clearer and clearer the longer he was with her.

It wasn't until Sara was slamming a glass down in front of him did he look away, jumping slightly. She was looking at him, shaking her head in an a disappointed manner. Oliver tried not to look guilty, reminding himself that technically, it was his job to keep an eye on Felicity. Somehow he didn't think Sara would buy that excuse though.

"You're looking pretty broody, Queen," Sara observed, setting her hands on the counter. "And this is not a brooding club. If you're looking for one, it's a few blocks from here. Otherwise, I suggest you perk up."

"Does she like him?" Oliver bluntly asked, knowing Sara had a pretty good idea of Felicity's feelings for her coworker.

Sara shrugged. "Honestly, you don't really deserve to know the answer to that."

He exhaled staring down into his empty glass. "Yeah, well it's probably best I don't know. It's not my place anyways."

"You know, at this point, I'd love to see you snap," Sara admitted. "You're winding yourself up really tight, and you're bound to break eventually."

Oliver shook his head. "Not this time."

Sara smirked. "Challenge accepted, Queen. But if I win, you have to promise not to break my girl's heart. And if you do, I won't be the only one kicking your ass. I've got some friends that happen to love Felicity just as they should."

"Nothing is going to happen," Oliver muttered, sick of Sara's persistence.

"We'll see about that." Sara began to leave, turning around and gaining Oliver's attention again. "And no, she doesn't like him."

Well, that felt good to hear.

Oliver glanced over at Felicity, trying to determine if she really did look unhappy. Only then, did he notice how often she glanced around the club, seeming to be searching for an escape route. He smiled, suddenly feeling better now that he knew Danny didn't stand a chance. He actually began to relax a little, bouncing his knee up and down to the beat of the hypnotic song that was playing.

And just as he was starting to relax, he saw the bartender accompanying Sara set two shot glasses in front of Felicity. Danny pointed at one, and Felicity grinned. She picked it up, bringing it to her lips and tilting her head back. Danny laughed, picking up his as well. She stopped him, taking it from his hands and downing it. Immediately, Oliver was on his feet.

That had been drink number five.

He paced over to Felicity, moving in front of Danny so that he wouldn't hear. Well, also because he wanted to piss off the asshole. Felicity looked surprised to see him, her eyes narrowing in a way that told him she was ten miles past buzzed.

"Let's go," he told her, reaching for her elbow.

She yanked back, giving him a strange look. "You don't decide when I go. _I_ decide when I go."

"What's your problem, dude?" Danny asked, stepping around Oliver.

Oliver kept his eyes on Felicity, holding out a hand to Danny. "Don't push me, kid."

That was apparently the wrong thing to say, Danny turning from confused to pissed as hell in one second flat. He knocked down the hand Oliver was holding to him, giving Oliver a rough shove. Oliver barely staggered, finding it amusing Danny thought he'd actually win a fight with him. He was insane just for even starting it. Still, Oliver wanted to beat the crap out of him.

"I'm twenty-two," Danny stated, stepping back a foot.

Oliver let out a breath, turning to face him. He squared his shoulders, clenching his jaw in case he completely lost it. Danny seemed to realize how big of a mistake he'd made, and stumbled back into a group of people who had been watching the scene unravel before them with intrigue. Felicity stood from her chair, grabbing Oliver's upper arm.

"Hey, let's go, okay?" she murmured, tugging on him. "Just forget him."

He looked down at her, visibly relaxing. He gave her a brief nod, shooting one last glare in Danny's direction. Felicity exhaled in relief, grabbing her phone off the bar. Sara ran up to her, having been trying to get out from behind the bar the whole time. She grabbed onto Felicity's hand, examining her quickly.

"You okay?"

Felicity nodded. "Yeah, just a little lightheaded," she slurred. "What was in those drinks you were making?"

Sara frowned. "Nothing too crazy. It must have been the chasers you took afterwards. You should get back home."

"I'm already on it," Oliver assured her, voice deeper due to his concern for the blonde woman with the death grip on his arm. "How are you getting home?"

Sara shrugged. "I'll get Macy to give me a ride," she answered, and Oliver figured that must be the other bartender who poured Felicity the shots.

"Bye, Sara," Felicity said, earning a small smile.

"Bye, Felicity. I'll stop by in the morning to see how you're doing, okay?"

Felicity nodded, then placed a hand to her head. It was clear after her first few failed attempts at walking that she was incapable of it. Oliver watched as she almost fell for the fourth time, his arm around her waist apparently doing no good at helping her keep balance. Once they were outside the club, he wrapped her arm around his neck, hauling her to her feet.

He had one hand around her back and one under the back of her knees, keeping her tight to his chest. There were people smoking outside of the club, the scent making Felicity bury her head into his neck. He sighed, trying not to enjoy it as much as he would have under any other circumstance. The car was closer than he'd remembered, something he was thankful for. He opened the door, managing to keep her in his arms as he did so.

Gently, he slid her onto the seat, buckling her in. He ran around to the other side, hopping in and starting the car. Her eyes were closed, so he didn't speak as he drove them back to her apartment. By the time they reached it, she was still knocked out.

Once again, Oliver got her out of the car and into his arms, determination written across his features as he took each step. She groaned every time he raised his knee to go up a stair, showing him that she was somewhat conscious. He was out of breath once he'd reached her apartment, quickly opening her door and locking it behind him.

He carried her into her room, setting her onto the mattress. Her head hit the pillow, and she seemed to sink into it. He lowered himself, unstrapping her heels and placing them to the side. The blanket she slept with every night was on the edge of her bed, and he pulled it out to cover her with. She surprised him when she jolted out of bed, eyes widened.

"Oliver," she said, and he furrowed his brows in immediate concern.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

She didn't respond, but instead raced into the bathroom, barely reaching the toilet in time before she was vomiting into it. Oliver winced, exhaling as he ran a hand over his face. Very cautiously, he stepped into her bathroom, finding her breathless and hunched over the toilet. He knelt in front of her, scooping her hair from the back of her neck and holding it in his hands.

They stayed like that for almost an hour, with her crying and getting sick. Oliver remained quiet, holding her hair in one hand and rubbing soothing circles onto her back with the other. After he was sure she couldn't possibly throw up anymore, he helped her to her feet, setting her onto the counter. Her head fell to his shoulder, and he noticed she was still sobbing lightly.

"It's okay," he whispered, running a hand over her hair. "I've got you."

She pulled back, her eyes red. He wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb, cupping her face in his hands. Her hands wrapped around his wrists, eyes gazing downwards.

"Do you need anything? I can run to the store and get you something," he assured, ready to leave in a heartbeat to get her anything that could make her feel even a little better.

He remembered what it felt like to get that drunk. It was hell. He never had someone to help him through that though, and going through it alone was always worse. She shook her head, sniffling.

"I kind of wish you hadn't seen all that."

He sighed. "I've been there, trust me." Reaching for the medicine cabinet to the left of her, he pulled out a bottle of mouthwash. "This will get the taste out of your mouth."

She nodded, taking it from his hands and swigging some back. He watched her as she gargled, spitting it into the sink. He turned on the water, washing it down before taking her hands in his.

"Better?"

She nodded, locking eyes with him and smiling.

"Good," he murmured, helping her off the counter. "Come on."

Guiding her to the bed, he pulled back the blankets and encouraged her to crawl underneath. She did, and he covered her with them. She smiled gratefully at him, resting her head against the pillow. He couldn't help but crouch in front of her, running his thumb over her cheek.

"Sleep it off, okay? I promise there will be fresh coffee waiting for you when you wake up."

She let out a weak laugh. "You know how to work a coffee maker?"

He grinned, trying to act hurt. "I can figure it out."

She smiled. "Thank you, Oliver."

He got to his feet, staring down at her. "You're welcome. And remember, if you need anything, do not hesitate to get me. And I do mean anything, Felicity."

"Okay," she whispered, giving him a look he didn't want to think about too much given their situation.

He should have just left. He should have just walked away and went into his bed. But no, he just had to linger, watching as she snuggled into her pillow, her eyelids drooping closed. He couldn't stop himself after that, and before he knew it, he was bending forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. His eyes shut as well, and he didn't pull back for a few seconds.

"Goodnight, Felicity," he mumbled, heading for his room.

* * *

 **A/N: Review please! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so long! It is pretty eventful though, so I hope you guys enjoy it!**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine**

Felicity woke up to a pounding in her head. She let out a series of curse words, attempting to sit up, but failing miserably. Looking at the clock, she saw that it was only eight in the morning. She was never up that early after a night of partying, so she wondered what had brought her out of her sleep and into this hell. Then she smelt it.

Coffee.

That got her to sit up, though her head fell against her knees almost immediately afterwards. Her head felt like it was about to burst. Before she could get out of bed and search for the source of that divine smell, Oliver was coming into her room. He had her usual cup of coffee in his hand, looking very focused on not spilling any of it. The sight threw her off a little bit, admittedly.

"You made me coffee," she said, and he looked up from the mug with a slight smile.

"I told you I would," he replied, gently setting it down on her nightstand.

She didn't remember that, but that was probably for the best. "Right. Well, thanks."

He acknowledged her thank you with a brief nod, setting his hands in front of him in a professional manner. "How you feeling?"

"Like someone used my head as a soccer ball," she answered, earning a small chuckle from him.

"I'll get you some aspirin." He watched as she took a sip of the coffee, clearing his throat and backing away. "Sara's on her way. I told her you probably won't be up for anything too crazy besides a visit, but it's all up to you of course."

She eyed him, trying to figure out if he was acting weird or not. "Thank you, Mr. Queen."

He looked as though she'd just slapped him, but it was only for a fraction of a second before it was gone. "You're welcome, Ms. Smoak."

She stared after his retreating figure, taking occasional sips of her coffee. Her head was already starting to feel a little better by the end of her cup, and she discovered she was able to stand without falling over. She was going to wander outside and see why Oliver hadn't come back with that aspirin yet, when she heard the sound of the front door shutting.

Seconds later, Sara was bursting into her room, holding a cup in her hand. Felicity sat back down on the mattress, trying to process what the hell was going on. The cup that was in Sara's hand was suddenly thrust into her face, Sara jumping on her knees on Felicity's bed.

"Drink this," she ordered.

Felicity tried to peer into it, but Sara's hand forced the cup towards her lips before she could. "Sara, what is this?"

"Just drink it, Felicity!"

Not having much of a choice, Felicity took a sip of the drink, nearly spitting it all up. "What the hell is that?!" she exclaimed, clenching her eyes shut.

"It's my special cure for a hangover," she innocently explained. "Now, finish the rest of it."

Felicity shook her head. "There is no way in hell I'm drinking that."

Sara groaned. "Fine, but it works."

"I'm not going to fight you on that one," Felicity said, bringing her friend in for a hug. There were a few things Felicity needed to clear up, and Sara was the only person who she thought would be able to provide any answers. "So, what happened last night?"

Sara pulled back, furrowing her brows. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I kind of don't remember some things," Felicity admitted, voice lowered.

"Which things?" Sara questioned.

Felicity thought about it. "Pretty much everything after I took those two shots from hell."

Sara's eyes widened. "Felicity! God, if I knew what those shots were going to do to you, I would have slapped them out of Macy's slimy, little hands."

"Wait, Macy has slimy hands?"

Sara rolled her eyes. "It's this prescription lotion she uses." Her eyes snapped back to Felicity. "But that is not the point here. I can't believe you don't remember."

"Why? Did something happen? Did I, like, start stripping on the bar?" Felicity asked, only joking until she had a thought that could very much be true. "Oh, no. I didn't make out with anybody, did I?"

"Not at the club at least," Sara muttered, trying to fight back a grin.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Sara raised her hands, feigning innocence. "All it means is that I have no idea what happened to you after you left the club."

"Well then how did I get home?"

"Oliver took you," Sara answered. "You should have seen the poor guy. He basically had to haul you out of there on his back." She paused. "As a matter of fact, I think I remember Danny telling me that he saw Oliver carry you to your car."

"Danny saw us?"

"I think he was just going to make sure you were okay. You weren't looking too good." Sara gave her a funny look. "And did you not just hear the part where I said Oliver carried you?"

Felicity seemed to finally realize what she'd said, and she got a feeling she couldn't quite place at the moment. "Do you think anything happened with us last night? He was acting a little strange this morning."

"I don't know. Let's ask him," Sara decided, not giving Felicity a chance to object before yelling, "Oliver!"

Within seconds, Oliver was in Felicity's room, looking worried. Felicity had her hand over her mouth, still shocked that Sara had called him into her room. Sara was the only one who looked completely natural, a trait Felicity was envious of.

"What happened? What's wrong?" he asked, looking over Felicity.

"Nothing. Felicity just has a few questions for you about what happened last night," Sara explained, the worry draining from his face.

Oliver looked down at Felicity. "You don't remember?"

Her face immediately turned several shades pinker, and Sara scoffed at how obvious it was her mind had gone straight to the gutter. "Um, did something... Did something happen... with us?"

It took Oliver a moment before he caught on to what Felicity was saying. Then, his face heated up as well, and he let out a weird chuckle. Sara shook her head, crossing her arms at her two idiot friends.

"No, nothing happened," he assured. "At least not in the way you were probably thinking."

Felicity actually _lost_ color this time. "Uh, what do you mean? How was I thinking?"

Oliver flushed again, and Sara groaned.

"For Christ's sake, he's saying you two didn't fuck," Sara blurted, tired of walking around the point of the conversation.

Oliver knit his eyebrows together, staring down at Sara. "Did she just say 'Christ' and 'fuck' in the same sentence?"

"She did," Felicity confirmed.

"I'm sorry, but you two were taking so long to answer each other with all your looking and flirting and blushing," Sara listed. "All we want to know is what happened after you took Felicity home from Oblivion."

Oliver glared at Sara, crossing his arms before focusing his attention back on Felicity. "Well, you fell asleep in the car, so I carried you upstairs and into your bed. Then you got sick, so I took care of you until you felt somewhat better. After you were back in bed, you were out like a light."

Sara watched as Felicity gave him a slow smile. "Thank you," she murmured.

"You're welcome," he responded, letting his lips twitch slightly.

Sara eyed them, suddenly feeling more out of place then usual. "Look, I think I should go pick you up some of those waffles you love from that diner up the road. Oliver, mind keeping an eye on her for me?"

"It's kind of my job," he reminded her.

"Right, well I'll be right back."

Sara stood up, walking out of the room and heading straight for the door. Oliver followed after her to lock up, while Felicity tried to reflect on the last few minutes. After hearing what Oliver had done for her, she couldn't help but rethink their situation. She wasn't sure if they were still supposed to remain neutral or not. She hoped not, considering her attraction for him was suddenly at an all time high.

So, when Oliver came back into her room with the aspirin he had promised, she decided she was going to get to the bottom of it. He handed over a glass of water, watching her as she downed the pills.

"That should kick in soon," he told her, taking the glass from her and setting it down next to her empty coffee mug.

"Thank you."

He shrugged. "I've had my fair share of hangovers. They're not fun. Especially when you're by yourself."

"I definitely wasn't alone," she said, laughing out of nervousness. "I've never had someone take care of me before last night."

"Not even Sara?" he asked.

She shook her head. "The last time I got that drunk, Sara managed to haul me into the back seat of her car and had Nyssa help drag me to their couch. She left a waist bin by my side and a strange mixture on the coffee table that I never even looked at until this morning when she forced me to drink it."

"I'm sure she did her best."

"Yeah," Felicity agreed, wanting to switch topics to something more serious. "So, I do remember something from right after I took those shots."

He tilted his head, raising his eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"

She nodded, biting her lower lip subtly. "I remember you almost getting in a fight with Danny."

"Oh," Oliver murmured, staring down at his hands as a muscle in his jaw ticked. "He was purposefully getting you drunk. I knew what his intentions were."

"So, you were jealous?" she concluded, watching as Oliver's eyes flashed up to hers.

"I was not jealous," he denied. "I was only doing my job."

She didn't buy it. "Your job isn't to keep me from having sex. Your job is to keep me from getting killed."

"You weren't going to have sex with him," Oliver stated.

She raised a shoulder weakly. "Maybe I was."

His eyes darkened, and he cleared his throat. "Fine. Next time, I'll make sure to give you your space."

That was not the answer she wanted, and she tried not to show how much it had hurt her. "So, that's it? You didn't care at all?"

"You're my client, Felicity."

She let out a bitter laugh. "As if I could forget. You're only reminding me about it every ten seconds." She ran a hand over her face, shaking her head. "I'll make sure Diggle knows just how great of a job you're doing, _Mr. Queen_."

He swallowed, leaving her room without another word. Great. Now, she was back where she'd started plus one hangover.

* * *

The rest of the week was spent avoiding Oliver as much as possible. She'd told Sara about the conversation they'd had, and Sara seemed to be on a mission to get Oliver to 'snap', whatever that meant. Felicity assured her it wasn't necessary or worth it, and thought that was the end of it. She should have known it wasn't, because hello? - it was Sara after all.

Instead, she focused her mind on surviving through the week until the next time she was going to see Sara. They'd decided to have a shopping day, doing nothing but gossiping and buying clothes that were way overpriced. Until that day came, however, Felicity had to deal with Oliver and the robotic way he treated her.

He didn't speak much to her unless it was about whatever food she'd made for the two of them or when he warned her about suspicious activity when they were away from her apartment. He laughed at her sometimes, when she would argue with the television or ramble under her breath at something she read. The way she loved that he did that was infuriating.

She spent her time researching little stores that she was attracted to. They were scattered all across Starling City, so she'd made Oliver drive her to each and every one of them. There were still plenty to be explored, but she did her best to save some for another time. She tried to make the most of her shopping, knowing that once she was home, the awkwardness of being alone with Oliver would kick in.

At least in the stores, he wasn't that bad. He helped her find things she requested, and even showed her things he thought she'd love. She always did end of loving whatever he showed her, and she never missed the pleased smile he would try and hide. She'd never been in a situation where she was as equally furious with a guy as attracted.

In fact, her attraction towards Oliver scared the crap out of her. Sure, she'd always thought he was handsome. She wouldn't be human if she didn't. But getting to know him, most of it from before he decided to be nothing but professional with her, was amazing, confusing, and exhausting all at once. She'd felt what it's like to be in his arms, and to have him in hers, and there just is no going back from that.

Plus, he was always wearing dress shirts that made his eyes stand out, and she'd had plenty fantasies about what it'd be like to pop open each button with her teeth. She really was terrible.

But she didn't have to worry about becoming distracted about sex fantasies involving her and Oliver Queen because now, Sara was in the car next to her, talking her ear off as they drove to the mall. Felicity actually smiled, knowing that today she would not have to worry at all about anything sexual involving her and her very attractive bodyguard.

"Felicity, are you even listening to me?" Sara asked, voice loud from annoyance.

Felicity nodded. "Yes, Macy dropped another glass and only picked up half of it," she recapped. "And she's not fired... why, exactly?"

"Because she's sleeping with the manager," Sara grumbled.

"She's sleeping with Chris?" Felicity gaped. "Good for her."

Sara gave an exaggerated sigh. "If only I went for the douche-type."

Felicity laughed. Being around Sara always made her feel a million times better. She was just one of those people. Felicity was thankful Sara looked to her as a friend and let her into her life. She knew Sara didn't take to people easily, even though she could get along with literally anyone.

She sat back and listened as Sara continued to vent, laughing often and adding her own opinion every once in a while. The mall wasn't too far from her house, so the drive was fairly short. They reached the mall and were immediately off, searching through stores that they knew they wouldn't find anything in, but looked anyways. In and out they went, going into every store that caught their eye.

Sara bought a few shirts and necklaces, claiming to have gone way past her budget already. Felicity had yet to buy anything, knowing that she was on the search for something specific. Ever since she'd started sleeping with Oliver, she's been a little self-conscious about what she wears to sleep in. She never had the chance to buy anything since she was sure she wouldn't be getting Oliver's opinion on it.

She told Sara what she was looking for, and Sara suggested they go check out a store on the second level of the mall. It was basically a Victoria's Secret with more reasonable prices. Sara was a bargain shopper, it was just who she was. She splurged on occasion, but that was only when the purchase was worth it. Felicity was reluctant about finding something in there, but it didn't hurt to look. She walked into the store, glancing at Oliver who was scanning his surroundings.

"Look, there's pajamas over there," Sara announced, gesturing towards a rack near the center of the store.

Surprisingly, they were nice. They weren't too revealing or too embarrassing. The material was really soft, and there were a lot to choose from. Felicity picked up a handheld basket, throwing in a few shirts and shorts she thought were cute. Oliver remained in the front of the store like he'd done every time, looking over every person who walked in.

"Okay, I think I'm done here," Felicity decided, looking into her basket and becoming proud with her shopping.

"Wait, we haven't looked in the back yet," Sara objected.

"What's in the back?"

Sara grinned slowly. "The thongs."

Felicity felt her whole face heat up, jaw hanging slightly. "Sara, I am not buying any thongs."

"All I'm asking is that you at least look," Sara reasoned, giving Felicity her pout face. "Please. I won't ask you to ever look with me again."

Felicity groaned. "Fine, but all you get is five minutes."

Sara beamed, taking Felicity by the hand and leading her towards the back of the store. She could see Oliver approaching since they were moving out of his line of vision, and started panicking. There was no way in hell she wanted him to see her buying thongs. Not that she was planning on buying any, but still. She didn't even want the idea in his head.

"Sara, Oliver is coming this way," she grit out, tone desperate.

Sara turned around, searching for Oliver. "No, he's not. He just moved to that wall so he could see you better."

"I don't want him to see me looking at thongs!" Felicity exclaimed. "Sara, let's just go."

"Felicity," Sara began, laughing at her friend's behavior, "Oliver is not going to care. What, do you expect him to believe that you don't wear anything underneath those short skirts?"

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "I don't really care what he thinks I wear under my reasonably-lengthed skirts," Felicity returned. "I just don't want him to see me shopping for thongs. Especially when I look absolutely ridiculous in them."

"Okay, I've heard a lot of bullshit come out of your mouth, but that was the worst of all. Felicity, you have an ass that was designed for thongs. God, I would kill for that ass."

Felicity widened her eyes, not expecting that confession from Sara, who didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest. "Okay, let's stop talking about my ass."

"Fine," Sara agreed. "Just as long as you admit that you'd look hot in a thong."

"I am not admitting to that."

Sara gave her a challenging look, almost as if she were asking Felicity to rethink her answer. When Felicity remained quiet and stood her ground, Sara turned around to face Oliver, catching his eye by waving her hand at him.

"Oliver, can you come over here for a second?" she called, making Felicity's stomach drop down to her knees.

Felicity watched as Oliver made his way over, looking mildly concerned. "Sara, stop! Please don't do this," she whispered/screamed. "I'll admit it, okay? I look hot in thongs. There, satisfied?"

Sara shook her head. "It's too late now. I've already called him over here."

Then she turned around, ushering Oliver towards them. He stepped in front of them, his attention focused. Felicity was absolutely mortified, to say the least. Sara let a mischievous grin break out across her face, placing a hand on Oliver's shoulder.

"Hey, Oliver," she greeted, her voice ten times sweeter than it normally sounded.

Oliver eyed her suspiciously. "Hey."

"I was just wondering if you could sort out a little issue Felicity's having."

He looked Felicity's way, nodding. "Of course, what's wrong?"

Sara ignored the desperate looks Felicity was shooting her way, speaking casually to Oliver. "Well, Felicity, for some reason only God knows, has it in her mind that she'd look ridiculous in a thong. Can you assure her she'd look hot in one?"

Oliver's jaw dropped, his face heating as he tried not to stare at Felicity. He placed his hands in front of him, clearing his throat several times in case his voice came out more wavering than it should have. Sara watched, amused. After not hearing anything from Oliver besides a few gruff noises, she dipped her hand into a box of loose thongs, pulling out a dark green pair and holding them up to Felicity's crotch.

"Here, just in case you were having trouble picturing it," she explained.

Felicity smacked her hand down, cheeks an all new shade of red. "Sara, quit it!"

"Sure, just as soon as Oliver says you'd look hot in a thong."

Felicity glanced at him, finding his eyes locked to hers, pupils dilated. She swallowed, not needing to hear an answer from him. The darkened shade of his eyes was giving her all of the answers she needed. She looked back to Sara, finding her staring expectantly at Oliver.

"I, uh, I," Oliver stuttered, scratching the back of his neck.

"You don't have to answer that, Mr. Queen," Felicity said, cringing since the use of his last name had only worsened the thoughts racing through her head at the moment. "Sara, I'm serious. You've had your fun, now stop."

Sara seemed to sense that she may have crossed a line, straightening her back. "You're right. I'm sorry. I was just messing with you guys. Oliver, you can go wait outside the store while Felicity and I pay for her things."

Oliver nodded, leaving them without a word. Sara made an attempt to walk towards the cash registers, stopping when Felicity's arm extended in front of her chest. She paused, confusion evident on her face.

"Felicity, what are you doing?"

"I want you to help me pick out a few thongs," Felicity told her, watching the confusion break out across Sara's face.

"But, I-"

Felicity cut her off. "But you didn't see the way Oliver was looking at me. I got all the answers I needed, Sara. So, I've decided that I've earned a few pairs."

"This is why you're my best friend," Sara grinned, hunching over the boxes of endless thongs. "So, let's decide on a color first."

* * *

Felicity and Sara went home after that last store, rushing to her room to try on their new purchases. They modeled their new outfits and clothes for each other, giving and receiving feedback. Oliver hadn't said a word to her since their incident at the store, and every time she caught his eye, he glanced away. When Sara finally did leave for her shift at Oblivion, Felicity was sure there would be no seeing Oliver until the next day.

That's why she was so surprised to hear a knock on her bedroom door at nearly midnight. She turned around, spotting Oliver in the doorway. In the moment, she'd been putting all of her new clothes away in her drawers. After seeing him in her room, she turned back around, continuing on with her task. She decided to wait for him to speak first, since it was him who had come into her room to begin with.

"The answer is yes," he said, his voice low.

She furrowed her brows, folding a pair of shorts. "Yes to what?"

"Yes, you'd look hot in a thong."

She froze, racking her brain to figure out if she'd heard him correctly. Slowly, she turned around, finding him standing only a few feet away, jaw clenched tightly. His expression was unreadable, his eyes darkened. She tried to keep her cool, not wanting to jump the gun.

"You really think so?" she asked, raising her head.

He smirked. "Yes, I do. In fact," he began, taking a confident step forward, "I think you should go back to that store and purchase some."

Now it was her turn to smirk, seeing a chance to turn the tables on him. "Actually, I did purchase some." She saw his smug expression disappear, trying not to focus on the swell of pride she suddenly felt at making Oliver Queen lose his grip. "It was just a last minute decision."

"Which ones did you buy?" he croaked, keeping his eyes locked with hers.

She shrugged. "A beige one, a black one, and-"

"And that green one Sara was holding earlier?" he interrupted, seeming to have found some of his stability back.

She was a little knocked off by his question, unaware that he'd been so affected by that specific incident. "Yeah, I thought they'd go great with the dress I bought at that store across the street from the sushi place we went to last week."

He swallowed, closing his eyes as if he were mentally picturing it. "Do you mind trying it on?"

She felt her jaw drop, attempting to calm her nerves. "The dress? Or the thong?"

"Both," he ground out, eyes slightly wild when they opened again.

She didn't know if she had it in her to say no. And even worse, she didn't know if she _wanted_ to say no. Her and Oliver had never gone this far into their relationship. The thought of something more than professional happening between them thrilled her. She wasn't surprised when she found herself nodding yes, watching as his eyes flickered with something that looked like joy.

"Okay, but you're going to have to wait in the living room," she said, and he obeyed her without any argument.

She shut the door after his retreating figure, leaning back against it for a second to assure herself that this was really happening. It wouldn't be the first time she'd dreamed or imagined scenarios like this between them, but this felt more real than any of the others. After pinching herself and determining that she was awake, she couldn't help but feel relieved.

Nervous about keeping him waiting in case he changed his mind, she rushed into her closet, pulling off her forest-green dress from one of the hangers. She shimmied out of her jeans, sliding her arms through her shirt and letting the clothes fall to the floor, forgotten.

She then pulled the dress over her head, remembering all over again why she had bought it. It was so sexy, yet insanely elegant at the same time. She checked her hair in the mirror, smoothing it out and thanking the gods for whatever had made her decide to wear it down today. Just before she walked out to present herself, she remembered the main point of all this.

She ran back over to her drawers, taking out the green thong she'd bought. She slipped out of her current pair of underwear, sliding the new ones on. It felt a little uncomfortable at first, but the fact that Oliver was nearly drooling over the thought of her in them gave her the confidence she needed. So, she raced back over to her door, slowly bringing it open.

Admittedly, a small fraction of her was scared she'd walk out there to an empty room. Actually, it was more like a large fraction of her, but boy, was she glad to see him sitting on the edge of the couch, bouncing his knee up and down impatiently. When she cleared her throat to gain his attention, his head lifted up, eyes locking onto her.

"Felicity," he whispered, his eyes tracing over each and every inch of her.

She stepped into the center of the room, giving him a little spin so that he knew exactly what she was wearing. He stood up, a predatory look in his eyes. She swallowed, her confidence getting knocked down a few notches.

"You know," she started, blinking at the rapid loss of control that was slipping through her hands, "I really don't think it's fair you saw me in my underwear, and I haven't seen you in yours."

His eyes flashed at her words, the smirk returning to his face as she saw him get an idea. "I haven't seen you in your underwear, Felicity. I've only seen you and the pair separately."

"I..." she trailed off, at a loss for words for the first time... ever.

His eyes darkened again, the playfulness leaving his expression. "Take off your dress."

Wondering how the hell she'd fallen under _his_ spell, she began to tug down her beautiful dress. After the zipper was brought down all the way, the dress slumped to the floor, revealing her new purchase that his eyes immediately locked in on. If he noticed her bra was a completely different color - something she'd be kicking herself over later - he didn't show it.

"Okay, now it's your turn. You saw my underwear, now I get to-"

She stopped talking when he lurched towards her, sinking his body downwards until he was at eye-level with her stomach. His finger traced over the hemline of her thong, making her shudder. He lowered his hand, dragging it between her legs and all the way around to her ass, where he greedily gripped it. She bit back her moan, trying not to show just how affected she was.

He sneaked a finger underneath the material, rubbing it against his thumb that was on the opposite side of it. She wasn't sure why she was still trying to act unfazed, considering how soaked she knew the thin fabric was. She was actually thankful when Oliver looped his fingers around the sides of her thong, eyes asking her silent permission to remove it.

She nodded, watching as he slid the green scrap down her legs. Stepping out of them, she staggered back slightly, hands reaching behind her to latch onto whatever she could. Oliver moved forward, back to where he'd been before. His lips pressed against her lower leg, savoring her milky skin.

"Святой ебать, ты прекрасна," he growled, and her heart literally stopped.

What the fuck was that?

"You speak another language?" she asked, feeling her knees wobble from an intense wave of arousal due to a phrase she had no idea the meaning of.

He nodded, placing wet kisses along the insides of her thighs. "That was Russian."

Well, she'd figured as much. "What did you say?" she asked, not sure if she really wanted to know.

"I said that you're beautiful," he answered. "Only, there was a little more profanity involved."

She found herself burning with desire, and he was right back to focusing on her newly exposed skin. His lips had yet to touch the throb between her thighs, but she knew that's what he was working towards. He was just taking his time building her up, which was completely unnecessary with the level of arousal he'd brought her to within seconds.

And because she knew where this was going and she was, in fact, Felicity Smoak, she began talking - which was more like rambling. "I don't think this fits your job description," she breathed, eyes fluttering shut as he kissed a fiery trail up her thigh.

He smirked against her skin, lifting his head up to look at her. "I don't know about that. I'd say this counts as helping your body."

"Guarding," she corrected.

He furrowed his brows. "What?"

"You meant it counts as guarding my body, not helping. You're a body _guard_ , not a body _helper_."

"Are we really having this conversation right now?" he asked, secretly loving how only she would ever do something like this.

She blushed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'll just shut up now."

"Don't," he told her, his lips twitching. "I like hearing you talk."

"Oh, uh, don't tell me that because I won't ever shut up," she sputtered. "I will just keep talking and talking about things you probably have no clue about and you'll be praying for me to just-" His tongue between her thighs cut off her rambling, sending her hands to his hair. "Oliver!"

He smiled against her, licking a long line down her slit. She keened, tugging at his hair. She was growing more wet by the second, and he had to physically restrain himself from tugging down his pants and sinking into her. God, it would be too easy.

To distract himself from doing that, he licked another strip along her, repeating the notion since he loved the way she breathed his name out each time. She wasn't saying much though, and he wanted her to be. Her voice was one of his favorite sounds in the world.

"Keep talking," he ordered, placing a kiss to the expanse of skin just under her navel.

She hummed, her voice sounding shaky. "Uh, well let's see," she stuttered, digging her nails into his scalp when he spread her open using his thumbs. "Remember that night Sara took me out to the club?"

Oliver nodded. "Yeah, and you wore that dress that made me want to push you up against the nearest flat surface."

She moaned, and he knew it was because of what he'd said since he hadn't touched her yet. "I didn't know you liked it that much," she breathed.

"I wanted to rip you out of it," he admitted, flicking his tongue against her clit just to feel her legs shake.

He wasn't satisfied with their positions, so he rose to his feet, taking her hands in his. Nothing in the living room would give him the angle he wanted, causing him to lead her into the kitchen. Oliver brought her to the table, lifting her up and on top of it. He then re-positioned himself between her thighs, kneeling down before setting his head near her aching center.

"Well, I was trying to make you jealous with that Danny guy," she admitted, making his blood boil at the memory. "And you said you weren't."

"I lied," he told her, placing soft kisses along the inside of her thigh.

"Oliver-" she started, being interrupted by his firm reassurance.

"I was jealous, Felicity. Of course I was. You think I wanted him to see you like this?" he asked, looking up at her. "You think I wanted him to touch you like this?"

He then entered a finger inside of her, watching as her head was thrown back, eyelids shut in pleasure. "No," she gasped, shaking her head. "I wasn't going to sleep with him, Oliver."

"I'm sure it would have been the highlight of his life," he muttered, still bothered by the thought of that loser and Felicity. "He probably still thinks about you."

"I think about _you_ ," she confessed, as he pumped his finger in and out of her, daring to add a second.

Intrigued, he gazed up at her. "Think about me how?"

She looked down at him, matching his gaze. "I've dreamed about fucking you. Well, _almost_ fucking you. You kind of woke me up before we could get to the good part." She swallowed back the rest of her ramble, continuing on. "And I used to think about reaching over and sticking my hand down your pants when we started sleeping together on the couch. I thought about waking you up to my lips around your-"

Oliver cut her off by sucking her clit into his mouth, having heard enough. Her words were driving him insane, making his erection strain against his slacks. Only she could get him this level of horny. The pain in his pants was distracting, and he cupped himself with his free hand to relieve some of the pressure. Sucking in his teeth, he continued to tease her clit, loving the way she cried out his name.

"Oh God, Oliver," she ground out, pressing her hands against the back of his head to bury him deeper into her. " _Fu-uck_."

He took one of her legs, tossing it over his shoulder and giving her long strokes with his tongue. Her breathing pattern was erotic and uneven, and he wished he'd pulled her bra off as well so that he could see her breasts heaving with each struggled breath. He growled out a curse at how unbelievably hot she was, coaxing a hand over the large bulge in his pants to keep himself from exploding.

His arousal only made his assault on her with his tongue more brutal, and he didn't let up until she was whimpering. Her taste was addicting, and it wasn't long before he was back at his relentless nature, letting her take out her pleasure on him by digging her nails into his shoulders.

His mouth, combined with the consistent pumping in and out of his fingers, is what lead her to the edge. He could hear her breathy moans turn into screams and her hands held onto his head as if it were a lifeline. He worked her through it though, groaning when she began to convulse and then came with his name on her lips. It took him minutes before he finally broke away, standing up to find her completely spent.

She sat up on shaky limbs, snaking her arms around his neck. "Not fair," she huffed, reaching for his very obvious erection.

He hissed through his teeth when she rubbed her palm against him, feeling his world begin to tilt. "Felicity, I... I-"

"You what?" she asked, only applying more pressure.

He didn't have an answer for her, so he set a hand on the table, leaning into her touch. She gave a satisfied smile, bending her head forward to kiss his neck. Her lips were so soft and smooth, contrasting against his rough and stubbly skin. She didn't care, running her tongue over a patch of skin along his collarbone, and then bringing a hand to the top of his shirt.

Very slowly, she began to undo each button, talking to him the whole time. "I've wanted to do this for so long, you know? I've wanted to touch you, and feel you, and see you."

His eyes had been shut out of pleasure of what she had been doing to him, but they quickly opened at her words. Panic started to sink in, and his mind raced with thoughts and insecurities he couldn't help but have. The island had changed him not only mentally, but physically as well. And yeah, that was fairly obvious by the amount of muscle he'd clearly come back with.

But it wasn't just that. He was scarred and burned. His torso looked like a cutting board and each scar reminded him of the hell he'd gone through on the island. He didn't want her to see him like that, to know how truly damaged he was. She was too pure, her skin too fair and untouched. He was a monster.

"Felicity," he started.

She got the third button of his shirt loose, which was impressive considering she was only using one hand. "What?"

"Stop."

She laughed, pressing a kiss to the few inches of skin her hand had revealed. "Yeah, right."

He clenched his jaw, pulling back to look at her. "I'm serious."

She paused, reading the look on his face, and knowing he really wasn't playing. "Why? Did I do something?"

He shook his head, wanting to beat himself up for making her feel bad. She hadn't done anything wrong. Of course she hadn't. It was insane that she would even think so. There was something very wrong here, but it was completely his fault.

"No," he said, exhaling loudly before gripping her wrists in his hands. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Then what is it?" she asked, letting out a not-so-humorous chuckle. "You can't tell me it's because you don't want me."

He hung his head. "No, it's very obvious that I do want you," he agreed.

"But?"

"But it's too much. I can't cross that line with you. Even what we just did was going too far. I don't know what came over me." He paused, exhaling to regain his thoughts. "You deserve to be more than just a fuck, and I can't give you more than that," he responded, surprised by the amount of truth in his words.

"Oliver, I wasn't going to assume that we'd be something more," she assured, watching as he let her wrists go and stepped back.

"But once I know what it's like to be with you... There's just no returning from that. I don't want to have to get a new client. I don't want you to have to get a new bodyguard. In fact, I'm almost certain no one is going to protect you or take your case as seriously as I do."

She nodded, knowing he had a point. "Okay, we won't cross that line. But don't act like you don't care about me, Oliver. It hurts."

He frowned, cupping her face with his hand. "I know I was being a jerk about our professionalism, but you couldn't have thought that I didn't care about you." She leaned into his touch, locking eyes with him. "Felicity, I cared about you from the moment I met you. Nothing is going to change that. I promise."

He stared down at her, conveying the same message to her with his eyes. Slowly, she began to nod. He smiled slightly, bending down to place a kiss to her forehead just like he'd done the night she got incredibly drunk. When he pulled back, she was smiling as well. He glanced below her head, groaning.

"You really should get dressed," he told her, and she seemed to remember she was only wearing her bra, "before I change my mind."

She smiled innocently, getting down from the table and grabbing her dress from the floor. She ran into her room, closing the door behind her. And on his way to his room, he couldn't help but notice she'd left her thong behind. His mouth went dry when he realized that she'd done it on purpose.

Apparently, she was trying to kill him.

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **Святой ебать, ты прекрасна** = **Holy fuck, you're beautiful.**

 **A/N: Don't speak Russian, so the bit that was in here was provided by Google Translator.** **Let me know your thoughts!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Felicity woke up the next morning, glancing over at the clock. It was well past the time she normally woke up at, and her body's craving for caffeine was giving her a terrible headache. Slowly, she got out of bed, trying to figure out what could have possibly been the reason behind her exhaustion. Then, she remembered Oliver's tongue between her legs, his head dipped low as he crouched down in front of her.

She was numb, and there was a buzzing between her thighs that she could feel a little more now that she'd remembered. God, he'd been good at that. She'd never experienced something as intense as what he'd done to her, and it wasn't even sex.

Suddenly, she remembered how Oliver didn't want to have sex. He'd stopped her before she could even attempt to see if her dream from long ago held any accuracy. His reasoning behind not wanting to have sex with her did make sense, as much as she hated to admit it. But she wanted him so badly. Things were already going to be weird between them, so the least she could have gotten out of it was some mind-blowing sex.

It had been a while.

Felicity walked over to her mirror, smoothing down her hair and putting on her glasses. As badly as she wanted her coffee, she didn't want to leave the confinement of her bedroom. Grabbing her phone, she sent Sara a text. Today, she'd need her friend. There were too many questions she had, and she needed someone to vent to. Sara didn't even ask why Felicity needed her over for the third day in a row, agreeing to be there as soon as possible.

Felicity smiled, feeling a little better. Oliver was going to be in the house while she was talking to Sara, but she knew he'd give them their privacy. Crap, she really didn't know how she was going to face him. He was probably out there already, expecting her. She wasn't exactly prepared to talk to him. Truthfully, she was actually dreading it. However, she couldn't stay in there forever, so she gathered her courage, leaving her bedroom with her head held high.

Stepping into the kitchen, she glanced around for Oliver. He wasn't in there - _thank God_ \- but the coffee maker was on, and her mug was next to it. She crossed the kitchen, pouring herself a cup and then leaning back against the counter. Oliver must have woken up and made her coffee, then disappeared back into his room.

Was he avoiding her, too?

Shaking her head, she brought her cup of coffee over to her kitchen table. Her laptop was resting there like it always was, and she opened up the screen to scroll down the popular articles of the day. It was something she tended to do, just to keep herself updated with the rest of the world. As she started reading the headlines of the day's news, one made her pause.

It read: _Thea Queen's Birthday Party is Deemed Event of the Year._

Felicity reread it a few times, averting her gaze downwards to read more. Her eyes scanned the words for a date, knowing there had to some explanation as to why Oliver hadn't told her about it yet. She figured it must still be a long time away, and he had been planning on asking her for the day off when it neared. But then she saw the date, and she knew that wasn't the case.

The party was today.

Felicity wondered why he hadn't mentioned it at all to her. They've had plenty of conversations about his sister before. She knew how much he cared for her, and there was no reason why he wouldn't want to be at her birthday party. Did he not feel like he could tell her about it? Sure, things between them have been less than friendly, but she would have given the day off. He had to know that.

Suddenly, there was a noise sounding from behind her, and she switched to another tab. Her body tensed as Oliver's footsteps could be heard approaching, feeling like she'd been caught in the act. He strolled in, dressed for the day, walking over to the coffee maker and pouring some into his usual mug. Felicity watched him, became entranced by the way his tongue peeked out to test the temperature of the liquid, sunk into her own thoughts of just where that tongue had been the night before.

He gazed over at her, lowering the mug. "Good morning, Felicity."

She jumped a little, being roused from her thoughts. "Oliver, hey."

"What are you doing?" he asked, using the hand holding his mug to gesture in the direction of her laptop.

She followed his line of vision, knowing that she needed to discuss Thea's party while she still had that tiny window of opportunity. "I was just reading over some of today's headlines."

"Oh," he mumbled distractedly, taking another drink of his coffee.

"Oliver, why didn't you tell me about Thea's birthday party?" she bluntly asked, watching as his eyes flashed in surprise.

"How do you know about that?" he responded, stepping closer to her.

She motioned towards her screen. "There's an article about it online. It's supposed to be the 'Event of the Year'," she quoted back to him, using her fingers as quotation marks.

He sighed. "I guess I just don't feel right about leaving you alone," he explained. "Its been a long time since they've done anything, and that's really worrying me."

"Oliver, it's your sister's birthday," she reasoned. "You can't miss that."

"Technically, her birthday isn't until next week," he informed her.

She dipped her head. "Okay, then you'll have that day off, too."

"You're giving me the day off?"

She nodded. "Yes, and if you refuse, then I'll fire you." He tried to shake his head, and she knew he was going to go off again about his concern for her well-being, but she wouldn't let him. "Sara is on her way over here. I won't be alone today, so you won't have to worry about me."

Oliver pressed his lips together, trying to act frustrated. His eyes were shining though, and she knew he was grateful.

"Thank you, Felicity," he finally said, the corner of his lips just barely curving upwards.

That was good enough for her.

"You're welcome. Now, you should get going. You haven't seen your family and friends for a long time. Get in as much time with them as you can."

He stared at her, a look she couldn't determine at the moment in his eyes. Then, he nodded, pulling away from the chair he'd been leaning forward on. He went over to the sink, placing his mug inside, and then walked to his room. He came back with his keys and phone in his hand, going straight for the door. He turned around before he could leave, locking eyes with Felicity, who'd been watching him the whole time.

"Felicity, you call me if anything happens, okay?" he urged. "You call me even if you _think_ something is going to happen."

"Yes, I will," she agreed. "Don't think about me today though, Oliver. Try and have a good time."

He chuckled, giving a brief but firm shake of his head. "I don't know if I can stop thinking about you, Felicity." He furrowed his brows after his words, as if he were regretting saying them, and her heart clenched. When he glanced back up at her, any softness was gone. "I'll be back later tonight."

"Okay," she replied, swallowing.

He shut the door, and she stood up to lock it behind him.

Well, at least that wasn't entirely uncomfortable.

* * *

It took Sara forty-five minutes after Oliver left for her to arrive at Felicity's apartment. Of course, that had felt like hours to Felicity, who was going a little insane keeping everything that had happened between her and Oliver yesterday bottled inside. When Sara was finally knocking on Felicity's front door, Felicity raced for it, swinging it open.

Sara was on her phone, a box of donuts balanced on her other hand. She looked up from her screen at Felicity, quickly glancing back down and stepping inside. Felicity shut the door behind her, not even slightly curious as to who Sara was texting.

"Hey," she greeted, still typing away at her phone. "You look like you're glowing."

Felicity felt her heart stop, wondering how it was that easy for Sara to know that Felicity had done something sexual. "Uh, glowing?" she repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

Sara finally put the phone down, opening the box of donuts. "Nothing. You look pretty." She brought one to her mouth, taking a huge bite. "Do you have any milk?"

"Yeah," Felicity muttered, frustrated that Sara wasn't giving her an opportunity to share her news.

She sat down in her seat, watching as Sara pulled out a cup from her cabinet and waltzed over to her fridge. She poured herself a generous amount of milk, coming back to sit in the chair next to Felicity's. Her phone buzzed, and Sara glanced at the screen, shaking her head.

"What's wrong?" Felicity asked, shocked that she was the one questioning Sara.

"Chris is making me work tonight," Sara answered, groaning. "I'm not going to be able to stay long, Felicity. I'm sorry."

Felicity gave her a smile, understanding how angry she must be feeling, but still wanting to tell Sara about what had happened with Oliver. "Don't even worry about it. Now, I have to-"

"Try one of the donuts," Sara interrupted, gesturing towards the open box. "They're to die for."

"I will in a minute," Felicity assured. "As I was saying-"

"Come on," Sara pressed. "I got glazed just for you. I know how much you love them. Remember that one time we went to that shop that-"

"My bodyguard went down on me!" Felicity blurted, immediately regretting being so rash about it.

"Who?" Sara asked, seeming to be caught up in her own thoughts.

Felicity gave her a pointed look, and Sara let her donut drop onto the table as realization set in. "Oliver?" she still questioned, earning a smack from Felicity. "I'm sorry! I kind of just got lost in the thought of someone going down on you."

"First of all, what would Nyssa think if she heard you say that? And second of all, can we please focus on the much bigger issue here?"

"Is 'bigger issue' a euphemism for the size of his penis?"

Felicity slapped her hands to her face. "Sara, what the hell is the matter with you? I have no idea how big or whatever his you know what is! I only said he went down on me. If we had fucked, I would have started with that."

"Wait, can you not say the word penis?" Sara questioned, genuinely intrigued.

"Sara!"

"Okay, fine," Sara conceded, raising her hands up in defense. "I'm sorry. Just tell me what happened."

"Well, we were in the living room talking about my thong," Felicity began, being interrupted by a cheer from Sara.

"Yes, my plan worked!" Sara exclaimed, obviously pleased with herself. "I knew that would get him to snap!"

"Sara, focus!" Felicity ordered, waiting a second before continuing. "I told him that it wasn't fair that he got to see my underwear and I didn't get to see his."

"I am so proud of you right now."

"Yeah, well after I said that, he reminded me that he didn't get to see it _on_ me."

"A very good point," Sara agreed with Oliver.

Felicity shook her head. "That lead to me stripping down to very minimal clothing, and it was like once he saw me in my underwear, there was no controlling him. One second I was across the room from him, and the next I was trying not to wake my neighbors."

"Oh, so he was good?"

"Sara! That is _so_ not the point here!

"I'm sorry, but I've always wondered if he's good at that," Sara defended. "I could never ask my sister for obvious reasons that can go unstated, but I can ask you."

Felicity let out a sigh, caving. "Yes, he was amazing at it. Without a doubt, the best I've ever had. Not that I have a lot to compare it to, but yeah, definitely earth-shattering."

Sara grinned. "I knew it!"

Felicity knit her brows together. "How?"

"Well, apart from the fact that he's Oliver Queen and is good at everything," Sara started, making Felicity roll her eyes at the annoying truthfulness to that sentence. "When I was younger, him and his sister would have these candy cane eating contests. Just watching that tongue work-"

"Sara!"

"He won every time."

"Sara!"

"Stop saying my name!"

"Stop talking about my bodyguard like that!"

They were quiet, taking a few moments to calm down. Felicity let her frustration go, bringing her breathing back to its regular pattern. Sara was fiddling with her hands, obviously more calm than Felicity had been. She was the one who broke the silence.

"So, I'm still having a little trouble picturing it," she admitted. "Would you mind reenacting it? I'll be Oliver, obviously."

Felicity didn't even allow herself to get all worked up again, remaining level as she said, "I'm telling Nyssa."

Sara's blood drained from her face. "Felicity, I was kidding! That was my lame attempt at trying to lighten the mood! I'm sorry."

"Fine, but you have to cut it out," she warned.

"I'll try," Sara said, not sounding too convincing.

"Sara," Felicity growled, reaching for her phone threateningly.

Sara stopped her hand, her face turning desperate. "Okay, I won't anymore! I promise!"

Felicity was sure it would happen again, as it always did, but it was nice to have the upper hand with Sara for once. Even if it would be short-lived.

* * *

Oliver got to the mansion, surprised to see that it looked exactly as he had left it. He didn't know why he'd been expecting changes, but it was a relief that there weren't any. There was another car in the driveway, and Oliver was curious as to who it belonged to since the party wasn't due to start for another few hours. He walked up to the door, using his key to unlock it.

He wanted his visit to be as much as a surprise as possible, even though Thea was expecting him to come. When he didn't think he'd be able to make it, he still couldn't find it in him to call Thea and tell her that. He knew it would kill her, and he was beyond thrilled that he didn't have to do that to her.

That didn't stop him from worrying about Felicity though. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. It was only a matter of time, and it was his job to make sure he was there when it did. His absence today was going to bug him, he was sure of it. But she'd assured him she'd call if anything happened and Sara was going to be there to keep her company.

Forcing the troubling thoughts of Felicity getting hurt to the back of his mind, he put on a smile, opening the door. He could hear voices coming from nearby, and made his way across the house. He rounded the corner to find Thea in the kitchen, having a discussion with Tommy and Laurel. She looked incredible, all dressed up in a long black dress.

Tommy was wearing a white dress shirt, his arm around Laurel. Laurel looked just as gorgeous as the last time he'd seen her, listening intently to whatever his sister was saying. Oliver cleared his throat, watching as all heads turned to look at him.

"Ollie?" Thea gasped, rushing to hug him.

He caught her in his arms, holding her to his chest. He spun her around for a few seconds, setting her down and pulling away to look her over.

"You look beautiful, Thea," he complimented. "I hope I'm not too early."

"No, your timing perfect. It gives me more time to spend with you," she said, smiling. "I'm assuming you have to go back to your job tonight?"

He sighed. "Unfortunately. My job takes up all of my time, but I really love it."

"That's good," she responded, though he sensed something was off about it. "Maybe you can tell me all about it."

"I'd love to, Speedy."

He gave her one last smile before glancing up at Tommy and Laurel. Tommy was already coming his way, bringing him into a hug. Oliver clapped him on the back, releasing him to give Laurel a side hug.

"You look good, man," Tommy said, making him laugh. "They feeding you alright where you're at?"

"Tommy, I'm on the other side of Starling City, not an uncharted island." When Tommy gave him a pointed look at his lame attempt at a joke, Oliver rolled his eyes. "Yes, the food is amazing. I get to pick it out myself like I always do."

"What is it exactly that you're doing over there, Ollie?" Laurel asked. "You never have any time to visit."

He nodded. "I know. It's just a long drive and sometimes my job can be a bit demanding."

"You're working with soldiers?" Tommy questioned.

Oliver nodded, hating that he had to lie, but knowing it was the only way to keep his friends and family from worrying about him. "Yeah, I help them recover. It's a lot of work, but I don't mind it. The company is really great."

He smiled, thinking of Felicity and how comfortable he felt with her. He knew that wasn't exactly a good thing. In fact, it was a very bad thing. But he couldn't deny it. She was a huge part of why he hadn't quit and just taken the job at his father's company. He was committed to protecting her for however long it took.

"Well, come say hi to Mom," Thea said, taking his hand and leading him towards the back.

His mother was standing in the yard, directing people around. Tarps were being put up, liquor was being brought out, and tables were being set. He wondered briefly how his sister had convinced his mom to serve alcohol, but figured it had to do with the fact that his mother wasn't exactly the greatest when is came to discipline. He remembered getting away with staying out all night as a teen.

"Mom, look who's here," Thea called, causing Moira's head to swivel in the direction of her voice.

Oliver smiled at his mother, walking up to her since she seemed to be frozen in place. When he wrapped his arms around her, she came back to life, hugging him tightly and then stepping away to straighten out his shirt.

"Oliver, you look handsome," his mother said, scanning him over. "How long are you here for?"

"I have to go back tonight," Oliver answered, watching her eyes soften.

"Oh," she murmured, hanging her head. "Well, I'll see you next week for Thea's dinner, right?"

Oliver recalled Felicity giving him the day off, and nodded his head. "Yes, I've already gotten the day approved off."

Moira smiled, bringing him in for another hug. He knew how much she'd missed him, even though she wasn't saying it out loud. He'd missed her, too. Sure, he'd give her calls every once in a while, but it wasn't the same as in person. His mom was suddenly called away for a question involving the cake, leaving Thea and Oliver to walk around the yard together.

"So, how many people should I be expecting here?" Oliver wondered aloud, his tone teasing.

Thea grinned, raising a shoulder. "Half of Starling City, at least."

"That all?" Oliver replied, stealing a laugh out of her. "So, you still dating that Ron kid?"

Thea exhaled loudly, rolling her eyes. "I know you know his name."

Oliver cracked a smile. It was good to be home.

* * *

Thea wasn't kidding about the amount of people to be expecting. The mansion and yard were filled with people of all ages. Most of them were kids from Thea's school, but a lot of them were just crashers who'd read about the party online. Oliver would have been worried about his sister, had she not been stuck to his side all night.

She was determined to enjoy his company for as long as she could, and he wasn't going to fight her on that. He recognized a few people at the party that he went to greet, immediately returning to Thea's side afterwards. They talked about a lot off stuff. She asked him about work, about Diggle, about how he was sleeping. He told her as much truth as he could, regretting every lie he had to tell.

She got this look in her eyes though, every time he'd answer a question about work. It was almost as if she knew he were lying, and was waiting for him to confess. He knew that couldn't be the case though, since the only people who knew about his job were him, Felicity, Diggle, and Sara. None of those people would tell a secret like that, and they'd have no reason to.

It wasn't until near ten at night did it all become clear to him. Thea had asked him if they could talk upstairs, the only place in the house where people weren't allowed to go. She said it would give them privacy to discuss something important. Oliver was concerned, following her up the steps and into one of the guest bedrooms. He half expected two teens to be rolling around in the sheets, relieved to find the room empty.

Oliver closed the door behind them, crossing his arms in front of himself. "Okay, Speedy. What is it?"

She was looking down, expression unreadable. "You know you can tell me anything, right, Ollie?"

He nodded, furrowing his brows. "Yeah, of course I know that."

"Well, then why have you been lying to me?"

His heart stopped. "What are you talking about, Thea?"

She swallowed. "I know you're lying about the facility. You don't really work there." Oliver sighed, running a hand over his head as she continued. "I called there today to beg them to give you today off since you hadn't told me if you were coming or not. They said you didn't work there, and then had a good laugh about the idea of you actually having a job."

"Thea..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Do you want to tell me what's been going on, Ollie? Tell me why you moved out of here? Tell me where you've been going? Where you've been staying?" she questioned.

"Does Mom know?" Oliver asked.

Thea shook her head. "I wanted to give you the chance to explain first."

"Thanks," he murmured.

There was a silence in the room. She waited for him to tell her the truth, to answer all of the questions she had. He tried to figure out what to say. If he told her the truth, it would get passed up to his mom. And he knew that once she found out, she wouldn't let him continue being Felicity's bodyguard. That wasn't an option.

Before Oliver could respond to Thea, his phone was ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket, finding Felicity's name flashing across the screen. His stomach dropped, knowing that she would only be calling him right now if it were an emergency. He shot Thea an apologetic look, reaching for the doorknob.

"Speedy, I have to go," he rushed, finger over the answer button. "I'll see you next week, okay?"

He shut the door before she could respond, pressing the button on his phone that put him on the line with Felicity. He knew something was wrong before she even spoke, his feet guiding him down the stairs at a crazy speed. He earned some very curious stares, ignoring them and anything around him.

"Felicity?" he called, not hearing her say anything.

She sobbed on the other end of the phone. "Oliver, something happened."

He clenched his jaw, rushing down the driveway and jumping into his car. "Tell me," he demanded. "Don't stop talking to me, Felicity. I'm on my way."

"Please hurry," she cried, and he swore if he held the phone any tighter, it'd shatter. "Oliver, I'm scared."

Those words had him slamming his foot onto the gas, speeding loudly down the streets. He knew this was a bad idea. She lived too far away. He was too far. Something was going to happen to her because he hadn't trusted his instincts. He needed to keep hearing her voice. That was the only thing keeping him from literally losing his mind.

"What happened?" he asked, tone sounding a lot steadier than he felt.

She sniffled. "My window's been broken through."

Fuck. "With what, Felicity? A rock?"

"No," she said, her voice small. "A deck of cards."

"Fuck," he uttered, this time out loud. "Where are you right now?"

"I'm in your closet," she whispered, and he imagined her huddling in the dark, her phone pressed to her ear.

He thought hard about what he needed her to do. "Okay, Felicity. Do you hear any movement in your apartment?"

She was quiet for a second, him assuming she was listening. Then she let out a sure, "No."

He exhaled in relief. "Good. I need you to do something then, okay?"

"Okay."

He was swerving around cars, trying to get to her as soon as possible. "Go to my bed. Behind the headboard is a gun. I need you to take it out, and then go back in the closet. Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah," she murmured, sniffling one more time.

He heard shuffling sounds, figuring she was doing what he'd asked. He focused on racing down the roads, cutting the distance between them to shreds with each passing second. He was almost there, his heart pounding harder in his chest. It was a minute or so before he heard her again, his body relaxing slightly.

"Okay, I got it," she informed him. "Are you almost here?"

"Yeah," he answered, turning down the main street that belonged to her. "I'm about five minutes away."

"Please be careful," she urged, and he was amazed that she was concerned about _his_ well being at the moment.

He was in love with her.

The realization didn't surprise him, nor should it have. He'd known it for a while now, but had just been too scared to face the truth. All he cared about was getting to her and feeling her in his arms. He needed that more than anything.

"Felicity, you're remarkable," he told her, hearing her shaky breaths stop for a moment.

"Are you really flirting with me right now?"

He felt his heart squeeze, unsure of whether or not he was willing to confess to something like that; unsure if he was willing to give up his career, especially since Felicity needed him now more than ever.

"What if I am?" he asked, knowing that he wasn't in trouble yet.

"Then don't stop," she whispered.

He closed his eyes briefly, gritting his teeth. "I wish it were that easy." He swallowed, shaking off whatever emotions were coursing through him that were affecting his main concern for Felicity right now. "Felicity, I'm about to pull into your complex. Don't come out until I'm inside, okay?"

"Yeah," she promised, her tone filled with relief.

He swerved inside a random parking space, yanking out his keys and racing up her stairs. He took the steps two at a time, fiddling with his keys once he reached her apartment. He found her key, swiftly unlocking her door. He then locked it behind him, scanning the space quickly. Not one thing was out of place. Still, he searched the whole apartment, locking his jaw when he saw the glass from her window scattered across her bedroom floor.

It wasn't until he'd circled back to the kitchen did he call out her name, sure that the apartment was empty. He heard the closet door open, her body emerging from his room seconds later. She ran into his arms, collapsing against his chest. He wrapped his arms firmly around her, needing to feel her just as much as she needed to feel him.

She started crying hard, her sobs racking through her body. He just held her tighter, running his hands over her hair and down her back. He whispered reassuring words into her ear, kissing her temple repeatedly.

"It's okay," he murmured, twirling her hair around his finger. "I'm here. You're safe."

"I was so scared, Oliver," she admitted, her words muffled from being pressed into his chest. "So scared..."

He pulled away, wiping her tears away and forcing her to look at him. "Well, I'm not leaving, okay? You won't have to be scared again. I promise."

He brought her back into his embrace crushing her against him. Her fingers dug into his back, holding onto him as if her life depended on it. He didn't care if they had to stay like that all night. He needed her to feel safe, whatever it took. So, he did remain there, keeping her against his body and feeling her jerky sobs even out into regular breathing.

"Clearly, they're not coming back tonight. This must have been another threat," he thought aloud. "I'll just have to be on more alert from now on. I'm not going to leave your side again."

She shuddered against him, and he tightened his grip on her to the point where he worried about cutting off her circulation.

Then there was a knock on the door, sending them apart. He stepped in front of her, eyes locked onto the door.

"Felicity, stay behind me. If it's them, I need you to run and get my gun, okay?" he instructed, hearing her small voice of agreement.

His steps were slow, cautious, and growing faster with each pounding on the door. When he reached it, he was quick, swinging it open to face whoever was on the other side of it. So many different people of so many different sizes flashed through his mind as he brought that door open. His mind nearly exploded when he saw his sister standing there, arms crossed.

"What the hell is going on, Ollie?"


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry about the cliffy from the last chapter (only, not so much). I really wanted to get this chapter up for you guys as soon as possible because it is a short one. However, I had to postpone my update for a couple days. This chapter starts off from Thea's point of view, which was really cool to write. Hopefully you enjoy this update, even though it's way shorter than my previous updates.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven**

Losing her brother was the hardest thing Thea Queen has ever had to go through. She still remembered the moment she found out he was gone. She still felt the pit in her stomach when she realized he wasn't coming back. She still remembered how meaningless her life became, just a string of days consisting of alcohol, drugs, and boys.

She also remembered the day she found out he was alive. The way her world seemed to snap back together. The way she found the energy to get out of bed and check any and everything she could find on him. The way he held her after she'd jumped into his arms, needing to know that he was really there, that it wasn't all in her head.

Ever since the day she was born, Oliver had never lied to her. He never had to. He kept secrets, sure. But lying was just something he never did. He lied to everyone else at some point or another, but not to her.

So, she was surprised when she called down to his supposed job, only to learn that they had no idea what she was talking about. They knew who he was, of course, because you couldn't live in Starling City without knowing who Oliver Queen was. They just weren't sure where she'd gotten the idea that he was working there, let alone working at all.

She'd been confused at first, hanging up and letting their words sink through. Then, she racked her brain for an explanation, knowing that there had to be some reason for him to lie to her. Following that, she grew angry, thinking that there couldn't possibly be a reason in the world for her brother to lie to her.

But she waited. She remained calm enough not to call him, knowing he would make up some story and probably only worsen the lie. She waited until she could see him in person, where he couldn't get away, and where he'd be forced to tell her the truth.

When Oliver showed up at her birthday party, her first thought hadn't been about his lie. Her first thought was about him, standing in front of her, looking at her like she was his pride and joy. He expected so much from her, and the only other person who did the same was Roy, her boyfriend who was so much more than just that. The moment between her and Oliver slipped away and she questioned him about his job, curious as to what he had to say; curious as to if he'd tell her the truth.

And he lied.

He looked her right in the eye, and lied. And then Tommy got in on the conversation, and she watched as he continued to lie. She studied his face, trying to look for tells. There weren't any, and that was what worried her most. It made her wonder what else he'd lied to her about, and she just hadn't been able to tell.

Before she could confront him on it, she remembered that their mother was dying to see him. She talked about him everyday, complaining about that fact that he only called twice a week. Thea was also bothered by his lack of communication, even though he did text her most nights to see how her day went.

It was reasons like that that made her push her worries about his lying to the back of her mind, deciding to enjoy what little time she had left with him today until he was going to back to wherever it was he went. They spent the rest of her party together, catching up. She hoped most of what he was saying was true, even though it was probably unlikely.

Though, he was smiling a lot. That was new, and definitely unexpected. Smiling for Oliver was like rain in the desert. It didn't happen too often after his return, so she was curious as to what the cause of his smiling was. From what he was telling her, there was nothing that could have triggered this wave of satisfaction from him. Not that she wasn't happy, because she was. She just wanted to get to the bottom of something that was more than mind-boggling.

Roy had understood when she told him she wanted to spend the day with her brother, and left her alone to mingle with Tommy. They'd gotten close for some weird reason, but Tommy told her it wasn't weird at all since he'd always thought of her as a sister, and getting along with her boyfriend was high on his list of priorities.

It was nearing ten o'clock when she decided enough was enough, and pulled Oliver aside to talk. He put up no objection, probably sensing the seriousness of her tone. They went into a quiet room in the house, and she told him everything. She told him about calling his job, she told him about finding out he'd been lying to her, and she told him that she wanted an explanation.

Was it naive of her to think he'd actually give her one?

His phone rang before she could get the answer she wanted from him, and then he was racing from her sight without so much as a glance back. The look on his face right before he stormed off told her he wouldn't be stopped. She knew it was important, but she wasn't going to let it go. She couldn't last another day without knowing the truth.

That's what lead to her jumping inside of her brand new car, trailing after him. His driving was insane, filled with sharp turns and frantic swaying. She was thankful he hadn't had anything to drink, or else it could have been a whole lot worse. He was driving quickly, and she lost him about eleven times - not that she'd been keeping count or anything. He did have the nicest car on the road, so it was really easy to spot.

It felt like forever until he finally stopped somewhere, swerving into the parking lot of an apartment complex. Thea didn't recognize it, having never spent any time in this specific area of Starling City. She watched as Oliver hopped out of his car, oblivious to her presence. He raced up the steps to one building, and she stared after him to make sure she knew which door he stopped at.

Once she knew, she went off in search of a place to park. After she'd found an uncovered space nearby, she got out of her car, determined to get to the bottom of her brother's weird behavior. The three flights of stairs were killer, but it didn't deter her from her mission. She only stepped faster, stopping boldly in front of the foreign door her brother had disappeared through and placing five sure knocks to it.

She waited, trying to hold onto her flare. When no one came to the door, she knocked again. It felt like forever, but finally that door was swinging open, revealing her brother. His eyes were wild, softening into a confused state when he processed who had been on the other side of that door. She was more confused than ever, and damn her if she wasn't about to get some answers.

"What the hell is going on, Ollie?"

Boy, did he have some explaining to do.

* * *

Oliver stood there, brain fizzing as he tried to figure out what to do. His little sister was the last person he expected to be behind Felicity's door, and he was all kinds of thankful he hadn't gone for his gun like he'd thought of doing. He had absolutely no clue how he would have explained that had it happened.

Thea stood there, arms crossed, a look of annoyance on her face. She was angry, he could tell that much. He knew she wasn't going to leave until she got an answer, or at least some sort of explanation. But he couldn't tell her the truth. Felicity needed him more than ever, and he wasn't willing to walk away now.

"Ollie, what is going on?" she repeated, her tone a little more frustrated. When he didn't respond, she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Okay, I'm coming in."

Oliver felt his mouth open as if to speak, yet no words came out. Instead, he allowed Thea to push her way inside, even closing the door behind her. He turned around, locking eyes with Felicity, who was in the same spot he'd seen her last. She wasn't looking at him though, her eyes locked with Thea's. Oliver swallowed.

"Ollie... Is... Is this why you haven't been home?" Thea asked, her voice sounding less sure than it had a second ago.

That sent Felicity's eyes to him, and he found himself nodding. "I didn't want you to find out like this, Speedy."

He saw Felicity's mouth drop and her eyes fill with disbelief and panic. He tried to portray with just a look how sorry he was. If he was going to keep protecting her, this was the only solution. Well, maybe there were more, but he didn't have the time to come up with another one when he was put on the spot like that.

"You didn't want me to find out that - what? That you're having a fling?" she questioned.

His face fell at the idea of anyone ever treating Felicity as Thea thought, and he shook his head firmly. "Thea, this isn't a fling. _Felicity_ is not a fling."

He stepped around his sister, taking his place next to Felicity. He twined their fingers together, feeling a sudden flood of relief when he felt her squeeze his hand. Thea wore a look of surprise, her eyes zooming in on their hands as she let their implications run through her mind. She sucked in a breath, matching his eyes.

"You're living here, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Thea bit her bottom lip, glancing down. "And you felt like you couldn't tell me this? I would have been supportive."

"Thea, it's not that I didn't want to tell you. It's just that this is still really new for me, and I wasn't ready for people to know about us yet. You know how the paparazzi is. Once they catch word that Oliver Queen is in a serious relationship, they'll eat Felicity alive."

She gave him a hard look, finally nodding. "Okay, I understand that. What about Mom? Does she know?"

"No, and I don't think she should yet."

Thea crossed her arms, raising a shoulder. "She's going to find out, Ollie. You know how Mom is. You should tell her before she finds out herself. If she has to find out on her own, Felicity will already start off on her bad side. If you introduce her to Mom, she'll at least be civil."

Oliver knew his sister was making a good point. His mother always found things out. He could never hide anything from her. Still, he wasn't ready for Felicity to meet her. She would most likely see right through her, knowing their relationship was a lie. He knew Felicity panicked under stress, and his mother was the most stressful thing yet.

"I wouldn't even know when the right time would be," he tried.

Thea brightened. "Why not next week at my birthday dinner? Bring her with you. Would you like to come, Felicity?"

Felicity straightened, that being the first time she was addressed since Thea walked in. "Um, yeah?"

Her answer came out sounding more like a question, but Thea didn't even notice. She grinned, letting out a small shriek of joy. Oliver glanced down at Felicity, finding her looking up at him, forehead wrinkled in worry that she'd made him upset. He sighed, turning his attention back to Thea.

"Fine," he agreed. "Tell Mom I'm bringing a guest, but that's all, okay?"

"Okay," Thea said, nearly bursting with excitement.

He stared at her. "Thea, I'm serious."

"I know," she groaned, jumping up to Felicity. "You're clearly very important to my brother. I'm looking forward to getting to know you."

Felicity smiled. "Me, too."

Oliver couldn't help but be warmed be the idea of his sister getting along with Felicity. However, he quickly pushed those thoughts of them being friends away, knowing that he had to keep in mind Felicity was still his client and he needed to focus on her safety once Thea was gone.

"Well, we should probably be getting to bed," he announced, releasing Felicity's hand to place it on her lower back. "I'll see you next week, Speedy."

"I can't wait," she stated giddily, and he couldn't help but crack a smile. She reached for the door, and Oliver and Felicity followed her to it like an actual couple would have done. "Do you like steak, Felicity?"

"Uh, I love it," she answered.

Thea grinned even wider. "Okay, great. Any allergies?"

"Nuts," Oliver remembered, earning a look from Felicity he didn't want to think about at the moment. "Now, go on before people start to notice you're missing from your own birthday party."

"Oh, forgot about that," Thea laughed, rushing towards the stairs. "Bye!"

Oliver watched her disappear from sight, closing the door after a few seconds. He could feel Felicity's eyes on him, and risked a glance down at her. Just as he'd thought, she was staring at him. He let out a sigh, stepping away from her to try and clear his mind. As he paced the kitchen, she watched him, staying silent. Finally, he spoke.

"If she found out what I was really doing here, she'd never let me help you," he explained. "I panicked. I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad."

He looked up at her, eyebrows hiked. "You're not?"

She shook her head. "No, I understand. After what happened tonight, I realized just how much I need you here. I couldn't risk losing you, and you made sure I wouldn't."

He closed his eyes, in disbelief that he had momentarily forgotten about the stress Felicity had been under just minutes before. How she managed to pull herself together so quickly for Thea was beyond his knowledge. All he knew was that Felicity Smoak exceeded expectations, and he was probably a little more in love with her for it.

Fuck, he had to stop thinking that.

No matter how true it may be, it just wasn't an option. At least, not now.

"I'll have your window fixed by tomorrow," he assured her. "I promise."

She smiled, taking a step closer to him. "You know how to do that?"

He raised a shoulder, his lips twitching slightly. "Felicity, haven't you learned by now? I know how to do everything."

She laughed, and he savored the sound. He liked it much better than her crying. Yeah, he'd heard enough of her crying to last him forever. Plus, her laugh was absolutely adorable, and brought his small smile into an all-out grin. Her expression evened out, and she seemed to be considering something.

"Oliver, I don't think I can meet your mother. I mean, I used to see her around at the company, and she was kind of mean," she admitted, panicking once she realized what she'd just said. "Not that I think your mom is a bad person. She works hard and I know she means well. I was just trying to say that she takes her job very seriously, and-"

"Felicity," he interrupted. "She'll love you."

She bit her lower lip subtly, and he suppressed a groan. "How do you know?"

He walked over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Because I'm almost certain it is impossible for someone not to love you."

He saw her cheeks color, and smirked in a small victory. She looked down, wringing out her hands.

"But what if she sees right through me? What if she knows that we're not really dating?" she worried. "Oliver, I am really bad at faking things."

He chuckled at the hand she slapped to her face, enjoying her lack of filter so much more than he should have been. "That's good to know."

She dropped her hands from her face, shooting him a questioning look. "Oliver Queen, are you trying to turn my accidental innuendo into an ego-booster?"

"I don't need any ego-boosters," he assured her, and she raised an amused eyebrow at him.

"Clearly."

He laughed, enjoying the lightness between them. She suddenly brought a hand to her mouth as she yawned, and he was reminded just how late it was. He looked at her, jutting his head in the direction of his bedroom.

"Come on," he told her. "It's late."

Her eyes flashed in surprise, her expression uncertain. "Are you sure? I can just sleep on the couch."

He looked at her. "Would you honestly feel safe on the couch?"

"No," she admitted. "But I don't want you to feel weird about sleeping with me."

"I won't," he said, though he wasn't too sure about that. "Look, we both know that nothing is going to happen. And I think it will make us both feel safer if we're together tonight."

She nodded slowly, finally caving. "Okay."

He smiled in accomplishment, leading the way into his room. Grabbing a change of clothes, he made his way into the guest bathroom. Inside, he changed, brushing his teeth and heading back to his room. Felicity was already in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Oliver turned off the lights, crawling into bed next to her. They were far apart to be in such a close space, and he couldn't help but yearn to be closer to her. He tried to force those wants down, he really did.

But then he heard her sniffle.

He reached for her without so much as a second of hesitation, pulling her to his chest desperately. She was crying, her head burying itself into his shirt. He held her, his arms tight around her small frame, secluding her into his bubble and blocking out the rest of the world. She stopped crying much faster than last time, and he was thankful for that. Oliver knew he should have let her go afterwards, but he didn't.

He kept her pressed into his chest, her head resting right above his heart. She slid a hand up his body to rest on his right bicep, clutching him closely to her. They fell asleep like that, wrapped in each other with complete awareness of their actions. Both of them felt safe like that for their own reasons. For her, it was because her life was in danger, and someone was acting on it. For him, it was because he was constantly plagued by the demons of his past, and they were quieted in her presence.

Unsurprisingly, he didn't have nightmares that night.

With her, he never did.

* * *

 **A/N: The next chapter will be longer and will feature another appearance from Sara. Leave a review and let me know what you thought! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Felicity woke up, her body warm all over. Her head was definitely not on a pillow though, and she winced when she felt a twinge of pain in her neck. Glancing up, she saw that she was lying on Oliver's chest. He was still asleep, one arm on her back, keeping her to him. She smiled, curling her fingers around his shirt as if it were so natural for her and him to be like this. He stirred, his eyes slowly opening. When he saw her, he sighed contentedly, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to stretch without removing her from his embrace.

"You better not be getting any ideas," he warned, his voice deep with sleep.

She grinned, despite how confused she was. "What are you talking about?"

"Have you forgotten what you told me runs through your mind when we sleep together?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Her skin turned red, and she buried her face in his shirt out of embarrassment for what she'd blurted when he'd been going down on her. "That was never supposed to come out."

He laughed. "I'll admit, its been distracting."

"So you've been thinking about it," she stated, looking up at him. "Interesting..."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It may have crossed my mind once or twice."

Felicity knew he didn't mean anything by what he was saying. She tried not to let it affect her, but it was a little impossible with the way he was looking at her. She needed to get off of him before she did something she would regret. So, she rolled off his chest and out of his bed, not missing his slight groan of protest.

"We should probably get ready for the day," she told him, pulling down her shorts that had ridden up her body.

He glanced at her legs, looking away before it became noticeable. "Yeah, I still have to fix your window. That could take awhile."

"Well, I'm going to go shower," she said, walking away.

And so she went into her bathroom, locking the door behind her. She turned the water on, letting the steam build up as she washed off everything. Down the drain went her fear of the broken window, her worry that her and Oliver would have to pretend to be a couple, and her burning desire for the man who she'd shared a bed with last night.

When she finally did come out, she changed into a simple outfit. Oliver was waiting at the table, scribbling something down on a piece of paper. He looked up at her when she came out, and she saw him place the pencil behind his ear. God, did everything he do have to be so ridiculously sexy?

"Hey, while you were in the shower, I got your window measurements. There are a few stores nearby I called that might have the correct one," he informed her.

"You know, I do live in an apartment," she reminded him, upset that he was going through so much trouble for her. "I could just have maintenance replace the window."

"Yeah, but how long will that take?" he prompted.

She thought about it, frowning. "Probably a couple days at best."

"Not good enough," he uttered, standing up.

She watched him, completely surprised by his level of concern for her. She should be used to it by now, yet he still managed to surprise her. Oliver grabbed his keys from the table, giving her a smile.

"You ready?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

Then they left, heading to the nearest store on his list. It took them about an hour, but they finally found a window that would be a perfect replacement of her broken one. Oliver insisted on paying for it, even buying the tools it would take to fix it. She insisted on treating them to lunch, so they went to grab burgers at some diner nearby.

Afterwards, they drove back to her place, Oliver on a mission to replace her window. While he worked on unscrewing her old one from it's hinges, she swept up all the glass from her floor. When she was done, she pulled a chair into her room and sat down. If he was going to fix her window for her, the least she could do was keep him company.

So, she played her music and threatened to play country if he complained about it. That only made him point out that then they'd both be in agony, and she shrugged, claiming she could withstand it better than he could. Then he admitted that he actually liked her music and she told him she knew. He turned to her with a look like _'of course you did'_ and went back to replacing the broken window.

She talked to him about the newest book he was reading, pretending like she'd never read it before, even though she'd read it plenty of times. She just liked hearing him talk about something she was sure no one else knew he liked. She waited until he was almost done before she voiced the concern that had been on her mind all day.

"Hey, Oliver? Are we really going to pretend to be a couple?" she asked, and he looked over to her with an exasperated expression.

"Do you not think we can pull it off?"

She raised her shoulders. "Honestly, I have no idea. We only have a week to prepare, and it has been awhile since I've been in a relationship at all, let alone a fake one. I mean, the last time I was in a fake relationship was in eighth grade and my best friend at the time, Rafael, didn't want people to know he was playing for the other team, if you know what I mean. It was hard enough to fool a bunch of clueless tweens, but your mother? I'm almost sure she'll see right through me before I even walk through the door."

She sucked in a breath of air, and he seemed to be processing what she'd said. Well, the parts that made sense. Then he stiffened with an idea, setting his hands on his hips.

"What if we practice?" he suggested.

She furrowed her brows, not catching on to what he was saying. "Practice what?"

"Dating," he answered. "We'll go on some practice dates and learn how to act like we're really in love."

"Oliver, I thought we weren't supposed to give people the idea that we're dating. So far, our appearances outside my house have looked no more than friendly. How do you think people will react to seeing you sitting across from a woman, enjoying a meal at a fancy restaurant?"

He considered it, brightening again. "We'll practice here. We'll buy some ingredients, and I'll cook for you."

"Oliver, you just recently learned how to work the coffee maker," she reminded him.

He shrugged. "You can teach me how to cook." When she stared doubtfully at him, he continued to press her. "Come on. We can have Sara over to supervise and give us advice."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she'll tell us what we're doing wrong, what we're doing right. She'll give us pointers and tips. She's the perfect person to do this since she knows the both of us, and she's fairly experienced when it comes to love."

She thought about it, nodding. "That just might work."

"See? I'm brilliant."

She smiled. "I never said you weren't." They stared at each other, and she snapped herself out of it before she did something to screw it up. "We still have to get Sara to agree though. She might not be free. Her boss is making her work harder now."

"I'll call her and find out if she's available."

Felicity nodded in agreement. "Are we really going to pull this off, Oliver?"

"We're sure as hell going to try."

* * *

"So, are you in?"

Sara looked back and forth between Oliver and Felicity, her expression unreadable. Oliver had gone out shopping for all sorts of different things the day after they decided to practice fake dating. Felicity tagged along since there was no way in hell he was leaving her alone again, reading items off of a list she'd made during their morning coffee. By the time they were done, he was pretty sure they had half the store in their cart.

Afterwards, he'd had Felicity call Sara, knowing they'd have a better chance of convincing her if it was done in person. He listened to her make up some story about needing her over for a movie night, while he put away all the groceries. She'd hung up, jumping up on the counter and telling him that Sara was headed over. They'd high-fived in success, and finished putting the rest of the groceries away.

Now, here they were, awaiting Sara's answer. They'd told her the basics, not delving into the details. Felicity didn't want her to know that she'd been targeted again, knowing it would only make Sara worry. It wasn't so much a lie as it was withholding the truth. Sara didn't notice, but it was really hard to tell what was going through her head at the moment.

"Am I allowed to eat the food you cook?" she asked, stroking a finger across her chin deviously.

"Yes," Oliver quickly agreed. "I'll make sure to cook you an extra plate every time."

Sara's eyes widened. "Whoa, I thought Felicity was going to be making the food."

Oliver looked hurt, and Felicity placed a hand on his arm. "Sara, I will be helping Oliver make the food. If you don't like it, there's always a bag of barbecue chips you can eat instead in my cabinet."

"Good to know." Sara took another long pause. "Fine, I'm in."

Felicity hugged her, grinning. "Great. Thank you so much, Sara."

"Yeah, yeah," Sara muttered, though she was smiling as well. "Don't thank me unless we actually see results. You guys have a relationship that is more complicated than a rubix cube. We only have a week to turn you two into lovesick fools, and I would still feel uncomfortable about it if I had a whole month."

"Sara, we're not that bad," Felicity defended, earning a raised eyebrow from Sara.

"Oliver told you he couldn't be your friend anymore and then went down on you on your kitchen table, which, by the way, we will not be eating on until it's been wiped down," Sara said, giving the table a disgusted look-over.

"You told her?" Oliver ground out, attempting to be subtle in Felicity's ear.

Sara rolled her eyes. "Of course she told me! I'm her best friend, and she needed to vent. If you hadn't stuck your tongue where it didn't belong, she wouldn't have needed me to console her."

Oliver frowned, crossing his arms. Felicity had a hand over her eyes, shaking her head back and forth. Oliver couldn't believe that Felicity would share something that intimate with Sara, yet he knew he had no right to be mad about it. He had confused her, and he couldn't expect her to figure everything out on her own. Still, it was embarrassing and it made him feel guilty for multiple reasons.

"How about you guys start on dinner, and I'll sterilize the table?" Sara suggested.

Oliver nodded, heading into the kitchen. Felicity followed him, avoiding eye contact. He didn't want things between them to be awkward, so he took her hand, forcing her to look at him.

"I'm not mad that you told Sara," he assured. "I'm mad at myself for confusing you like that."

She shrugged. "I wasn't exactly stopping you. And Sara shouldn't have brought it up again. It wasn't her place."

"Yeah," Oliver agreed, the corner of his lips tugging upwards. "So, what's on the menu tonight, chef?"

"Spaghetti," she answered. "And _you're_ the chef."

Felicity laughed for a reason he was unsure of, taking an apron off the counter and shoving it into his hands. He raised an eyebrow at her, watching as she smiled as though she were in on something and he was not.

"You want me to wear your apron?" he questioned, though it sounded more like a statement. "Sorry, but I don't think it's going to fit me."

She bit her bottom lip, and his eyes were immediately drawn to it. "It's not my apron."

He stared at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

She stepped closer to him, taking the apron out of his hands and slowly unfolding it. He kept his eyes locked with hers, entranced in her beauty. She was literally taking his breath away, and she didn't even know it. When it was fully unfolded, she took it from his hands and held it up for him to see.

"This isn't my apron," she repeated. "See? It says 'King of the Kitchen' on it. I thought it'd be funny given your last name and everything. I saw it at the store today and sneaked it into the cart while you weren't looking. It's a 'once size fits all' kind of thing, but I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't fit you. You are a little bigger than most guys. And, oh my God, I don't mean that in a bad way. Not that being big is a bad thing, I'm just saying that the kind of big you are is good, _really good_ , and-"

"You bought me an apron?" he interrupted, and he couldn't explain the tightening in his chest and the overwhelming urge to kiss her which was more persistent than usual at the moment.

Her lips pressed together, and she gave a small nod. "Yeah, I did."

"It's been five minutes, and you two are still talking!" Sara said, her voice raised a little higher than normal.

Oliver gave her a glare, tempted to just figure all of this out on his own at this point. He knew that would only end up hurting him though, so he sucked it up, turning back to face Felicity. She, too, was staring at Sara, but her mind looked elsewhere. He took the apron from her hands, sticking his head through the loop at the top. He felt Felicity's hands tying the string behind him, and closed his eyes at how intimate this all felt.

"Oh, Ollie in an apron," Sara teased. "The press will never believe it."

Oliver saw her attempt to take out her phone and gave her a hard look. "Sara, you better not."

"I was kidding," Sara said, raising her hands in defense. "Jeez, Oliver, when's the last time you got laid?"

"Sara!" Felicity exclaimed, her tone scolding. "How about we play the Quiet Game?"

Sara furrowed her brows. "Well, then how do you expect to teach Oliver how to cook? You kind of need to talk if you're going to that."

"Oh, I wasn't talking about me and Oliver," Felicity clarified. "I was talking about you, and only you. You can talk again once dinner is done."

Sara crossed her arms, but when Felicity didn't back down, she nodded. "Fine."

Felicity smiled in accomplishment, going to grab her apron from its usually spot on its hook. She slipped it over her head, and Oliver immediately slid behind her to tie it for her just as she'd done for him. When he appeared at her side again, she smiled, bumping his hip with her own.

"Thanks."

He just smiled, tapping his fingers on the counter. "What should I get from the fridge?"

And that was just the first question of many he had for her that night, surprising her by how serious he was taking it all. He genuinely wanted to know how to cook, and so she taught him. She showed him how to cook hamburger meat, and how to cook pasta. She taught him when it was time to add the sauce and meat to the pasta. She taught him how to slice bell peppers and mushrooms.

And by the end of it, everything looked amazing. Sara had seen it, whistling low and patting Oliver on the back. He smiled, looking at Felicity as if she were some goddess and he was unworthy of her presence. He liked looking at her like that though, and he was sure he would never stop.

They carried their plates to the table, Oliver and Felicity facing each other while Sara sat to the side of them. Sara was apparently taking her job seriously, and got on them quick.

"Okay, Oliver, you already failed," Sara said, making his eyes flash in worry.

"Why? What did I do?"

"It's what you didn't do, actually." Sara gestured towards Felicity's chair. "You should have pulled it out for her to sit in."

Oliver flushed. "Oh, I didn't think I... Felicity and I aren't really in a relationship, so I-"

"I know you're not, and that's what I'm here for," Sara interrupted. "Next time, you'll remember. Now, Felicity, you need to look for any excuse to get Oliver to touch you."

Felicity furrowed her brows. "And how exactly do I do that?"

Sara reached into Felicity's lap, pulling out her hand, and setting it on the table. "Oliver, grab it."

Oliver listened, covering Felicity's hand in his own. He saw the heat rush to her face, and smiled. Sara took both of their hands, rearranging them so that his palm was cupping hers. She gave a satisfied smile, sticking a bite of spaghetti into her mouth.

"Okay, now this looks like you're in love. Next, you guys need to talk to each other like you're in love."

"Care to elaborate?" Felicity asked.

Sara nodded. "Okay, when Nyssa and I are together, the first thing I do is ask about her day. I maintain eye contact with her as she's speaking, so she knows that I care about what she has to say. When she's done, I respond to what she says so she knows whatever she'd said was interesting to me. You guys try it."

"Uh, Felicity, how was your day?" Oliver questioned, locking eyes with her from across the table.

"Well, I spent my day with you, and you know how that went-"

"Felicity," Sara interrupted, shaking her head. "If you guys spent the whole day together, then pretend you hadn't. What would a normal day look like to you, had you never met Oliver?"

Felicity swallowed, meeting Oliver's eyes again. "Well, today, Lisa stole my parking space right in front of me. I had to park all the way down in the parking garage, where Henry was getting high with Jacob again."

Oliver raised his eyebrows, momentarily breaking character. "Would things like that really happen?"

"Oliver, she was on a roll!" Sara scolded, and while she was distracted, Felicity gave him a reassuring shake of her head.

He smiled, relaxing. "I'm sorry. As you were saying, Felicity."

"Um, Marie locked herself out of her house last night, so I walked into my office to find her asleep on my floor. I didn't know what to do, so I stepped over her and got to work. At about noon, Barry came by to see if I wanted to grab lunch with him again."

"Barry?" Oliver repeated, and her eyes widened as if she hadn't realized what she'd said.

"Okay, next rule is: don't bring up other guys," Sara said, giving Felicity a pointed look. " _Especially_ not cute, dorky guys who you dated for a few weeks."

Oliver looked at Felicity. "You dated him?"

She shrugged. "It was just for a few weeks."

Sara clapped her hands together excitedly. "This is perfect. Oliver, I'm really buying the jealousy thing over here. For a second, I forgot you were acting and thought you really did care about the idea of her getting bent over her desk by that scrawny scientist."

Oliver's grip on Felicity's hand tightened, and he tried to force his very real anger at something else.

Felicity scowled at Sara. "We never had sex."

"And what a shame that is, Felicity. He was a cutie."

"Can we get back to the dating advice?" Oliver prompted, having heard enough about this Barry guy.

Sara nodded. "Yes, and I have the next tip for you. Felicity, compliment Oliver for no reason."

"What?"

"Act like whatever you said, you had no control over saying. Act like whatever it is was just so distracting, you had to comment on it."

Felicity cleared her throat, eyes scanning over Oliver thoughtfully. "Oliver, you have really nice hands."

"Don't stop there!" Sara urged when Felicity didn't say anything else. "Tell him where you want those hands!"

"Sara!"

Oliver couldn't help but chuckle, that being the first time Sara'd said something that amused him. "How about I try it?" They nodded, and he cleared his throat. "Felicity, I really like your eyes. They're just... so beautiful. I think I could get lost in them if I had the chance."

"Nice," Sara complimented, noticing the blush on Felicity's cheeks. "Tell each other something you know will make the other smile."

Felicity straightened, her lips quirking upwards. "Oliver, I saw this Adam Sandler shirt online, and it reminded me of our first movie night together when we watched, like, half of his career before falling asleep."

Oliver laughed, running a thumb over the back of her hand. If she was trying to get him to smile - something he hadn't done easily since the island but found himself doing a lot more with her - then she'd definitely accomplished it.

"A little strange that you imagined that, but very cute," Sara said.

Felicity faced her with bright eyes. "I didn't make that up. That really happened."

Sara looked surprised, but didn't question it any further. "Oliver, your turn."

He cleared his throat. "Felicity, the whole time we were shopping today, I had that one song you keep playing in my head."

"Which one?"

"I'm not sure," he answered. "You've never told me what's it called. The beat is really funky though, and when it comes on, you hop a little in your seat."

Her laughing stopped, and something else took it's place. He didn't regret that fact that he'd pointed out something it would take someone who cared about her a whole lot to notice. Felicity stared at him, and he felt his skin begin to heat up. That urge he'd felt to kiss her came back, and he could see it reflected in her eyes. Their trance was broken when Sara spoke again.

"Damn," she muttered, looking between the two of them. "There may be hope for you two yet."

* * *

By the time Sara was leaving for her shift at Oblivion, Oliver and Felicity were completely spent. Sara had been a handful, handing out tips left and right. Sure, that was what her job was, but she was a little more thorough than they would have liked. She'd taught them a lot, at least. And she promised there was still plenty more to learn before the dinner with Moira. Oliver was less worried about his mother seeing through their facade.

He watched as Felicity locked up her door, checking the locks twice. He began to clear the plates from the table, bringing them into the sink. Before Felicity, he had never done the dishes. Actually, the thought had never crossed his mind. But she cooked for him so often, he felt it necessary to contribute in some way. So, he'd grown used to cleaning up after their dinner.

He heard Felicity coming up from behind him, and she plopped onto the counter. He glanced over at her, finding her staring at him. He grinned, scrubbing the leftover sauce off of one of the plates.

"What?"

Felicity stayed quiet, but he could see her fighting off a smile from the corner of his eye. "I just would have never imagined Oliver Queen doing the dishes."

"They're not as bad as I'd once thought." He set the plate on the rack to dry, starting on another one. "I thought dinner went well tonight. I didn't know I was so inexperienced when it came to women."

"Not women," she said, lifting a shoulder, "just love."

He looked at her, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I guess you're right. What about you?"

"Uh, the closest I've come to love was with this guy I met in college, Julian, who was really into computers, too. We would spent our nights trying to out-hack each other. We dated for almost a year, but we were better as friends. Plus, he was gay."

Oliver laughed. "You seem to have a lot of experience with dating gay guys," he pointed out, making her laugh as well. "I mean, first there was Rafael, and now this Julian guy... Is there anyone else I should know about?"

"I guess I just attract homosexuals," Felicity said, shrugging. "Sara's come onto me a few times."

Oliver turned off the water, drying off his hands. "Homosexuals are not the only ones you attract, Felicity," he assured, placing a hand on her knee. "I promise."

She swallowed, giving him a tight-lipped smile that he knew was meant to block out her rambling. He pulled away, walking towards the table to push in all the chairs. Then, he faced her, wiping his hands on the back of his pants.

"I'm exhausted," he announced. "I think I'm gonna head to bed now."

She nodded. "Okay, enjoy your rest. And thanks again for fixing my window. I can now sleep without worrying about a moth flying down my throat in the middle of the night."

He laughed. "Goodnight, Felicity."

Oliver went into his room, trying to deny the fact that he wanted her in there with him. Of course he wanted her in there. She was what scared his nightmares away. He'd never known what it was like to enjoy waking up to someone until her. Now, he craved it. He craved holding her in his arms, falling asleep with her head on his chest, keeping her body against his just because he liked having her so close.

But that wasn't an option for him. He had to stop treating her like she was or could ever be something more. She was his client, and he was still easing into having her as a friend, because even that was risky. Diggle would kill him if he knew they'd shared a bed before. Yet, every time he told himself that, he cared a little less about Diggle and the consequences.

That was dangerous.

Sighing, he closed his bedroom door. He went over to his dresser, pulling out a cotton shirt and pair of pajama pants to change in to. Redressing quickly, he opened his door, since he never slept with it closed. From the looks of it, Felicity had gone to sleep as well. All the lights were off, including her bedroom one. Padding over to his bed, he got underneath the covers.

Only, he couldn't sleep. His bed felt empty, which was weird considering Felicity and him had only shared it twice. Once, when he'd first discovered she kept his nightmares at bay, and then last night. He tried flipping into several positions, but none helped. He was restless, so he settled on lying flat on his back. He kept his eyes closed, hoping sleep would overtake him sometime soon.

He heard her before he felt her.

Without a word, she climbed into his bed, crawling underneath the covers. And just like that, his bed was warmer, his body more at ease. He pulled her into his side, and her head rested on his chest just how he liked. Neither of them said a word, but choose to let the sweet touches and warm embrace speak for them both. They were asleep within minutes.

* * *

Their days were pretty much the same from then on out. They shopped, talked, then came home in time for Sara and their practice dates. Sara was proud of what they'd accomplished in a week's time, and said that there was no way Moira would be able to tell they were faking it. Only, it didn't feel like faking it anymore. Oliver'd found himself acting more naturally with Felicity than what should have been pretend.

He'd come to terms long ago with the fact that he was in love with her. He knew it was true, no matter how much he tried to deny it. Some things were just undeniable, and he was okay with that. But he was sure that no one else would be able to tell how he felt. That's why he'd requested Sara's help in teaching him. It had only allowed him a reason to talk and do the things to Felicity that he'd always wanted to.

And that was messing with his head.

He could see it in her eyes, too. He could tell she was being herself when she was supposed to be playing a character. He noticed it on her, and he was sure she noticed it with him. And if she didn't during dinner, then she must have when she fell asleep with his arms wrapped around her at night. This was probably messing with her head as much as it was his.

On the final night before their big dinner with Moira, Sara arrived extra early. She talked their ears off as they made dinner, though it was mostly him doing the cooking this time since Felicity had taught him so much in the short amount of time. When it was done, they took their seats, going through the usual motions for the beginning part of their dinner.

"Guys, due to all of this preparation for trying to make you two look like you're really in love, we almost forgot the most important thing," Sara told them, and he felt a sudden panic wash over him.

"What did we forget?" he asked, finding the same worried look reflected on Felicity's face.

"Your background story," Sara answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "My advice is to stick as much to the truth as possible. For example, if they ask you what you do for a living, Felicity, you'd answer with an IT Specialist."

"She doesn't mention that she worked at Queen Consolidated?" Oliver asked.

"Well, I'm going to have to," Felicity murmured. "Walter knows me."

Sara blew out a breath. "If someone knows you there, it's even more important that you tell the truth as much as possible."

"What if they ask how we met?"

"We'll tell them Sara introduced us," Oliver decided. "It's believable since you guys were neighbors once and I spent a lot of time over at her place. We could just say Sara introduced us one night at Oblivion sometime after my return."

"I'll vouch for you two if anyone decides they want to play fact-checker," Sara assured.

And so the rest of the night was spent not on getting Felicity and Oliver to look like they were madly in love, but figuring out a cover story for their relationship. Oliver couldn't believe they hadn't thought of it before, finding a whole new reason to be thankful for Sara's assistance. He could just imagine freezing up on the spot once his mom fired a question about his relationship with Felicity, and how it would all be over.

When they'd covered mostly everything they could think of, Sara turned to Felicity. "Okay, I'm going to quiz you now, pretending to be Moira. You ready?"

Felicity nodded. "Go for it."

Sara brought a hand in front of her face, signaling that she was getting into character. Letting out a breath, she creased her brow, overlapping her arms together. Felicity let out a snort, noticing the not-so-amused expression on Oliver's face. If Sara saw she didn't care.

"When did you and Oliver meet?"

"A month after he returned from the island."

"How did you meet?"

"Our mutual friend, Sara Lance, introduced us."

"How do you know Sara?"

"She was my neighbor."

"Any pets?"

"My dog died when I was eight years old."

"Family?"

"I never knew my father, and my mother lives in Las Vegas."

"What does she do for a living?"

"She owns and manages a casino on the strip."

"What are your intentions with my son?"

Felicity paused. "I want to make him as happy as he makes me."

Sara cheered giddily, clapping her hands together. "Oh my God, you got this down! I didn't even practice the last one with you before!"

"Smart thinking," Oliver murmured, swiping his thumb over her hand.

Felicity flushed, bringing Sara in for a hug. "Thank you so much for helping, Sara. I'd be a mess without you."

Sara returned her hug, smiling at her. "Of course. You can count on me whenever, Felicity. I just hope this really works. You'll call me as soon as dinner is over, right? You'll let me know how it went?"

"Yes," Felicity agreed. "You can expect the full report."

Sara pulled back, giving Oliver a hug as well. "I'm happy I got to help you guys out. Hopefully you'll realize that I didn't really need to be here though. You're plenty in love with her already," Sara whispered in Oliver's ear so that only he would hear. "Screw your job. You can get plenty of those. You won't get anymore Felicitys."

When they broke away, Oliver gave her a tight-lipped smile so that she'd know he heard her words. Then she left, and he couldn't help the way what she'd said looped through his head. It was true, and it made several things very clear. Reluctance kept him from following her advice, since there was too much at risk to chance them messing things up tonight.

And although he didn't want to risk saying anything that would change their relationship for better or for worse, he still let her cuddle into his side, falling asleep with her head under his chin.

* * *

 **A/N: Next chapter is Thea's birthday dinner! Do you think they can pull it off? Leave me a review and let me know! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Sorry about the wait! Thank you for all of the sweet reviews from the last chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen**

The time to be panicking was right now.

Felicity'd had all day to relax her nerves, keeping her mind off of the event she'd been dreading ever since it'd become a real thing. Moira Queen had intimated her from the moment she saw her making her way through the IT floor, head held high with purpose. She'd paused by Felicity's desk, looking snidely at the ring stains her coffee cups had made on her desk over the months.

Technically, they'd never spoken. That was all about to change in about ten seconds though, because Oliver had already knocked on the front door to what was literally the biggest place Felicity had ever seen, and she could already imagine Moira heading over to them. Oliver's hand on her lower back made her flinch, and she turned around to look at him.

"Hey, calm down," he whispered, his voice surprisingly soothing. "Everything's going to be okay. We'll spend a couple hours here, and then it'll all be over. Maybe when we get home we can put on that episode of Scandal you have on the DVR."

Had it been under any other circumstances, she would have been heart-warmed by the domesticity of Oliver's words. Instead, she nodded a little too quickly to his reassurance, wishing she were the future version of herself who was already on her way home from the dinner from hell. She didn't have a second more to think about that fantasy, because the front door was being opened, and Moira Queen was appearing before her very eyes.

Well, she looked a whole lot friendlier than any of the other times Felicity had met her. She smiled at Oliver, bringing him in for a hug, and then kissing him on the cheek. She turned to face Felicity, extending her hand forward for her to shake.

"Hello," she greeted, her eyes showing no recognition for the woman she'd passed several times on her voyages through the IT Department.

Well, that probably had a lot to do with the way she looked. Earlier in the week, her and Oliver had gone shopping for the perfect dress to wear for tonight. She hadn't had much experience picking out dresses worth more than a year's rent at her apartment complex before, but it was definitely something she wouldn't mind doing again.

Oliver was more than generous with her, demanding she get whatever she liked since it was his fault they were in this mess to begin with. She hadn't gone overboard, of course, but she did pick out something that had a price tag she'd only been able to laugh at in the past. When she finally found the perfect dress, he hadn't questioned her on it.

The first time he'd seen her in it was earlier tonight, and she'd give anything to have the look on his face photographed just to prove that Oliver Queen had actually looked at her like that. Then again, she was glad no one was there with a camera, because the way she was looking at him probably wasn't healthy either. He looked good all the time, but damn, did he look good tonight.

He had on a black suit with the tie to match, and he was wearing the hell out of his slacks. He seldom wore a tie when he was on the job with her, and wearing a suit jacket was a new sight since when they went out in public, he wanted to blend in a little easier. So with the combination of everything that made Oliver impossibly more attractive, Felicity wasn't sure how she'd been able to not babble herself into a hole.

Anyways, it was understandable that Moira Queen didn't recognize the rambly, awkward, IT girl she'd met in the past. Felicity wasn't really one to hold grudges either.

"Hello, Ms. Queen," Felicity returned, shaking her hand. "I'm Felicity Smoak."

"Mom, Felicity is my girlfriend," Oliver said, though that was kind of implied.

Felicity felt a shiver run down her spine at hearing him call her that. She couldn't help but wish it were true. Judging by the proud smile on Oliver's face, he was thinking the same thing. Huh. No one had ever looked like being her boyfriend was some sort of achievement. It was nice.

"Well, I am just so excited you finally decided it was time to introduce her to the family, Oliver," Moira replied, gesturing for them to come inside, and then leading them into the dining room. "You know, Oliver has never brought a girl home to meet the family before."

"That's not true," Oliver denied, his face looking a little red to Felicity. "I brought Laurel home."

Moira gave him a look, shaking her head. "We knew Laurel before you two started dating, and having her over was not as surprising - or as exciting - as this."

Oliver shrugged, looking down at Felicity sheepishly. "I guess there was no one worth bringing here to meet you guys. Well, until now, I mean."

She knew she was blushing, but she'd given up long ago on trying to fight it. Moira gave them a knowing smile, stopping at the sight of a long table. Thea was already sitting down with who Felicity assumed was her boyfriend, and she gave Felicity a huge smile and stood up to hug her.

"Felicity, it is so good to see you again," Thea told her, hugging her tightly. "You look amazing."

"You do, too," Felicity responded, feeling a sense of accomplishment that Oliver's sister seemed to like her. "Happy Birthday."

"Oh, thank you," she replied, looking pleased that she'd remembered. Thea grabbed the boy who was seated next to her, resting her hand on his upper arm. "This is my boyfriend, Roy."

"Nice to meet you," he said, and Felicity could tell he was just as uncomfortable about being there as she was.

She gave him a smile. "Nice to meet you, too."

Just then, the door at the end of the room opened, and Walter Steele entered the room. He had on a black tux, always dressed for formality. He took his place at Moira's side, looking at Felicity for the first time.

"Ms. Smoak, I didn't expect to see you here," Walter said, and Felicity focused her attention on the ground.

"You two know each other?" Thea asked.

Walter nodded. "Yes, she worked in the IT Department at Queen Consolidated. We were sad to see you go."

"I just needed some time to myself," Felicity lamely explained, and they all seemed to accept the answer.

"Walter, Felicity is Oliver's girlfriend," Moira said, and once again, Felicity reveled in the way it sounded.

Oliver's hand curled around her hip, and she felt her throat tighten. Moira suggested they all sit down before Walter could comment on their relationship, which Felicity was a little thankful for. She reached for her chair, but Oliver beat her to it. He pulled it out for her, wearing a proud look most likely for remembering to do that. She took her seat, letting him push her chair in. Glancing up, she saw the people around the table wearing impressed expressions.

Felicity thought, suddenly, that this was going to be a lot easier than she imagined it would be. So far, being in the presence of his family had only slightly rattled her bones. Plus, it was really incredible how easily fooled these people were into believing her and Oliver were really a thing. Well, more than a thing, actually. And like she'd mentioned before, she was normally a terrible actress. She decided not to ponder the thought of tonight being a little more than just acting, instead focusing on trying not to screw it up.

Dinner was brought out not too long after they'd seated, and no one had started questioning their relationship yet. The focus stayed on Thea and her birthday for now, something Felicity was grateful for. In the middle of a conversation between Thea and Walter, she felt Oliver cover the hand that was in her lap with his own. She glanced up at him, but he was focused on whatever Thea was saying. There was a feeling Felicity got then, a feeling that she wouldn't mind getting again.

The wine bottle that had been passed around the table emptied, and Thea scooted out of her chair abruptly, drawing everyone's attention.

"I'll go get more wine," she volunteered, her eyes locking onto Felicity's. "Want to help me, Felicity?"

Felicity knew something was up, but found herself agreeing anyways. "Yeah, sure."

She stood, following Thea out of the dining room and into the kitchen. There was a brand new bottle of wine already on the counter, proving Felicity's fear that Thea didn't really need her help with the wine. The younger Queen perched herself up on the counter, eyeing Felicity.

"What are you doing?" Felicity dared to ask, feeling her skin heat from the intensity of Thea's gaze.

"Ollie's never brought a girl home before," Thea said. "I mean, I know it was my idea, but I didn't think he would actually go through with it." She must have sensed the question on Felicity's mind, because she offered an explanation. "My brother isn't too big on the whole commitment thing."

"What, him living with me isn't a big deal?" Felicity questioned, wondering why his sister didn't consider that commitment enough.

From what she understood about pre-island Oliver, the thought of living with a girl would have sent him running for the hills. Even though their situation wasn't romantic, it looked that way to anyone who wasn't aware of it. So shouldn't them living together be considered a big enough commitment?

"To be fair, I've seen my brother go through great lengths to score a girl," Thea provided. "You can't really blame me for being at least a little doubtful."

Felicity considered what she'd said. "And I look like the kind of girl who'd just let a hot guy move in with me with no other purpose than to get him off whenever he needed it?"

"No," Thea quickly denied. "God, of course not. In fact, you are so far from the kind of girls Oliver normally is with, I almost couldn't believe it."

"It's the glasses, isn't it? I wear contacts occasionally. Like tonight, for example."

Thea laughed. "Maybe it's just the whole maturity-vibe thing you have going on. It seems to have rubbed off on my brother. He hasn't been so in control... ever. It's nice. After the island, I didn't think I'd ever see him smile again. Or, at least smile and have it be genuine."

"That island really messed him up, didn't it?" Felicity mindlessly asked, hating whatever happened to him there with a passion like no other.

Thea nodded. "Does he still have nightmares?"

"Not since we started sleeping together," Felicity answered, immediately blushing at her own words. "And I did not mean sex by that. I simply meant laying down with him, fully clothed. I mean, one time he was shirtless, but it was so dark, I couldn't see past his shoulders. They were nice shoulders though. Um, not that I know what bad shoulders would look like. They'd probably be lopsided or really pointy. Can shoulders be pointy? I don't-"

"Wait, you two haven't had sex yet?" Thea interrupted, her jaw hanging slightly lower than usual, and not in any way acknowledging Felicity's ramble from hell.

Felicity cursed herself mentally, knowing she'd blown everything. "What? Of course we have. All the time, actually. As a matter of fact, I'm surprised we're not doing it right now. Oliver loves to have sex on... surfaces."

Felicity cleared her throat trying to act cool and well-put together. Yeah, like she'd ever been that. Thea just stared at her, not uttering a single word. Felicity knew -she just _knew -_ that she'd given up their whole cover. Oliver living with a girl for weeks and not getting into her pants was unheard of. But... wasn't that really the case?

"He really likes you," is all she says, then smiles. "Come on. If we're gone any longer, they'll start to think we bailed."

"Tempting idea," Felicity muttered, hearing a snort of agreement from Thea.

"Tell me about it."

They then headed back outside, joining the table soundlessly. Oliver gave her a curious look, but didn't question her any further.

It wasn't until dinner was almost completely over before the moment Felicity had been dreading appeared. Moira had turned to her, a look of curiosity on her face. Felicity knew the moment she'd been waiting for was now upon her, and straightened visibly. When Moira creased her brow and layered her arms on one another, Felicity had to pray to every god out there to keep her laugh from escaping. Damn Sara and her spot-on impressions!

"So, Felicity, when did you and Oliver meet?"

Felicity let out a breath. Sara had prepared her for this one, and it was also the first practice question she'd asked. Would it be getting ahead of herself to assume she's lucky? Yeah, probably.

"It was a month after he'd returned from the island," she answered, with a sureness and confidence that only training would provide.

Moira accepted her answer, shooting another question her way. "How did you two meet?"

Felicity couldn't believe her luck. Sara was obviously way too good at guessing what people would say. Moira was suddenly two for two.

"Our mutual friend, Sara Lance, introduced us."

Moira's eyebrows peaked with interest. "How do you know Sara?"

Seriously, Felicity couldn't believe her luck. Her answers were just coming out automatically now, her brain on autopilot as every question Sara had prepared her for was coming out of Moira's mouth in the exact same order.

"She was my neighbor."

"And where did you go to school at?"

"My dog died when I was eight years old."

Moira's brows furrowed with confusion, and Felicity wanted to throw herself into the nearest black hole. She sat there, frozen, cursing her mind for letting her believe things would be so easy. Behind her, Oliver was laughing into his napkin, obviously amused. Felicity would have to remember to kill him later.

"Mom, Felicity went to school at MIT," Oliver answered for her, finally catching his breath.

Moira seemed to look at her as though she weren't a total failure now, and Felicity started to relax. "That's very impressive. Now, how did you ever end up with my son?" she joked.

"Oliver is smarter than most people give him credit for," Felicity immediately defended, sick of hearing the usual talk of how Oliver was some brainless drop-out.

Her skin was heating, and it wasn't from the look of surprise Moira was giving her. It was from the anger she held towards anyone who made Oliver less than what he was. She'd spent too much time with him to just let assumptions like that just run rampant. So yeah, she was angry. Oliver must have sensed it - or maybe it was just glaringly obvious - because his hand was suddenly on her arm, his voice right in her ear.

"Felicity, I got hungry in the middle of the night and accidentally ate the last of the mint chocolate chip ice cream," he whispered, his voice giving her chills despite the ridiculous things he was saying.

"What?" she asked, laughing as she turned to look at him.

He smiled, nodding. "And I left the carton in the freezer so I could replace it without you knowing, even though we're kind of attached at the hip."

Again she laughed, giving him a questioning look. "What are you doing?"

He leaned in closer, his stubble tickling her skin. "It's one of Sara's dating tips. I'm making you smile for no reason." She stared at him, and he shrugged his shoulders as if it were no big deal. "You just looked like you needed a good smile. You know, after defending my honor and all."

She was literally speechless... again. How he kept doing this to her was beyond her knowledge, but she knew it meant something. In fact, she was pretty sure everything he'd done meant something. Tonight felt like a lot more than just acting to her.

"I wasn't sure at first," Moira began, gaining the attention of everyone at the table, "but now I know for sure. You two are clearly in love, and, Oliver, I approve."

"What?" Felicity squeaked out, not sure if she was hearing correctly.

Moira smiled. "Anyone who defends my son like that has my approval." She gave Oliver a look. "Don't let this one get away, Oliver."

"I don't plan on it," Oliver murmured, twining Felicity's fingers in his own.

Thea let out an 'awe' noise, smacking her hands together. "Ollie, why don't you tell us about when you knew you were in love with Felicity?"

Felicity gave Oliver a look, wondering how he was going to pull this lie off. Sara hadn't prepared them with this, and she was just thankful the question hadn't been directed at her. Oliver didn't look worried though. His eyes remained on Felicity, his thumb rubbing small circles onto the back of her hand.

"I think I felt something the moment I met her, actually," Oliver admitted, and his voice sounded a little too sure, his gaze a little too intense. "She was so different from anyone I'd ever met. Then she started to ramble like she tends to do when she's nervous," Felicity heard Thea snicker knowingly, "and I just knew she was about to change my life."

Felicity swallowed, feeling overwhelmed because this didn't feel like pretending anymore. No, this felt very real. Thea's words replayed in her head.

 _He really likes you._

Everything that was happening around her seemed to kick in for the first time, and she felt suffocated. Here she was, practically in Oliver Queen's lap, pretending to be madly in love with him so that his family wouldn't find out that she's the reason his life is in constant danger everyday. Oh God, she needed some air. She couldn't last another second in there, or she was going to lose it.

She pushed her chair out, and everyone around the table looked at her with surprise. Oliver the most, his eyes locked on hers before she had to glance away from the intensity of them. She couldn't do this anymore. This was just too confusing and frustrating. It was screwing with her head.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, addressing the whole group. "I just need a minute."

She turned around, pushing through the door and letting it swing shut behind her. The hallway was thankfully dark, and she allowed herself to collapse against the thick plaster, throwing her head back in an attempt to keep her tears from escaping. The door opened again, and she could make out Oliver's figure just in time before the door was shut and they were enveloped in almost complete darkness once again.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, and she couldn't help the rush of anger that shot through her veins.

"No, I am not okay," she nearly snapped. "You have me sitting in there with your family, you're pretending to be madly in love with me, and all of it's messing with my head, Oliver. It's messing with my head because I'm starting to believe you're actually meaning the things you're saying. I _want_ you to mean those things because I want _you_." She let out a bitter laugh. "I don't even know why I have to say it out loud, because I'm pretty sure I've made it embarrassingly obvious on more than one occasion."

She heard him sigh, and imagined him pinching the bridge of his nose. "You don't want me, Felicity."

"Yes, I do," she assured, nearly yelling it. "Why wouldn't I?"

He was suddenly a whole lot closer, and she could just barely make him out in the dark. "Because I'm damaged, Felicity."

She shook her head, voice shaky with unshed tears. "I don't care."

His hand landed close to her face, making a slap as it collided with the wall. "I know you don't care," he growled. "You don't care because you don't think that it's a big deal, but it _is_ a big deal. It's a big deal because I'm _damaged_ , Felicity," he repeated, putting stress on the terrible word that was the exact opposite of how she saw him. He paused, drawing in a steady breath, and when he spoke again, his voice was even. "I'm damaged, but I don't feel that way when I'm with you."

And then she kissed him.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I know it took me a while to post this chapter, and I am so sorry about that. But I am thrilled so many of you enjoyed the ending for the last chapter! Thank you for the sweet reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen**

People are always saying that when they kiss the right person, fireworks go off inside of their heads. Felicity was never one to believe in something as corny as that, but she was pretty damn sure that's what those bright spots were behind her eyelids when Oliver's lips finally met hers. It could also just be that she was closing her eyes too tightly, but even that couldn't explain the sudden fast pace of her heart or the way she felt like she was melting into the ground.

He responded almost immediately to her abrupt action, moving the hand that was on the wall behind her head and tilting her chin up to kiss her better. She felt his tongue slip between his lips to trace over the seam of hers, moaning as she clutched desperately onto the lapels of his suit. Holding onto him tightly seemed like a good idea, since she still wasn't sure if this was real or if she was going to wake up in her bed, this having been all one really hot dream - _again_. She had no idea how he could make her feel like she was drowning and like he was the only thing keeping her afloat at the exact same time.

The hand that wasn't holding her face to his slid down onto her lower back, crushing her against him. He kissed her desperately, colliding his tongue with hers and groaning when she suddenly took a handful of his hair and tugged. He tasted like the wine they'd been drinking, and that made her head spin. She nipped at his bottom lip, drawing a rumble from his chest, and she seriously felt her knees wobble at the sound.

He pulled his lips from hers, trailing them down her neck. His stubble scratched at the skin there, and she bit her lip, not expecting to enjoy it as much as she was. His teeth biting down lightly on her earlobe drew out a breathy gasp from her, and he sucked it into his mouth in an attempt to sooth the sting. His breath was right in her ear as he pulled back.

"I love you," he murmured, crushing his lips into her neck as she moaned softly.

Hearing those words made her pause. They were heavy words, ones she couldn't just brush off. She'd always sort of known they were true, but hearing them out loud and having her theory confirmed was an overwhelming feeling. He noticed the way she tensed up, and broke away to look at her. She could see his eyes just barely, her chest heaving against his.

"You love me?" she whispered.

"You didn't know?" he inquired. "God, Felicity, you make my nightmares go away. You make me smile when no one else can. You make me forget." He swallowed. "A lot of bad things happened to me."

She ran a hand over his head, aware of how he avoided talking about what happened those five years he was away. "I know," she told him, her tone soothing.

"When a person goes through something like that, they don't ever expect to feel the way you make me feel ever again. I know I was being stupid about the whole bodyguard thing, but I'm done with it. I need to be with you."

Between every few words, he'd been placing, hot, sloppy kisses across her skin, sending her heart into a frenzy. She was sure she was seconds away from literally conbusting into thin air. How could it be normal for a person to feel as she was feeling right now?

He pressed his lips back against hers, and she didn't want to hold back anymore. She wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer to her. His hands held her at her hips, keeping her in place as he sluggishly ground against her. Her tongue curled around his, leading it into her mouth. His fingers dug into her waist, showing her he liked it.

"Well, I was wondering where you two had gotten off to," a voice said, breaking them apart.

Moira stood at the entrance to the dining room, covering the dark hallway with light. Felicity felt her face redden, feeling like a robber caught walking out of a house holding a television. Thank God she hadn't stuck her hands down Oliver's pants like she'd wanted to. Moira wasn't looking at her with judgement in her eyes though. Surprisingly, she looked amused. As a matter of fact, she looked... happy.

"Mom, Felicity and I will be heading home now," Oliver announced, his tone holding no shame whatsoever as he banded an arm around her waist. "Thank you for the dinner, and wish Thea another happy birthday for me."

"I will," Moira promised, her eyes soft as she gazed at them. "I'll see you soon, Oliver. And it was nice meeting you, Felicity."

Felicity flushed, holding her stare. "It was nice meeting you, too. I hope I'll see you again."

"Oh, I don't doubt it," Moira said, eyes dancing with amusement.

They didn't speak another word as Felicity let Oliver take her hand, guiding her through the house and into the car. She wasn't entirely sure if everything that'd happened was real, or if she'd just imagined it all. She did have an active imagination, and sometimes it was really hard to tell when it was all in her head or not. Honestly, she couldn't remember if something actually happened or not more often then she cared to admit. Maybe she needed help, because she was sure it wasn't healthy to-

"Stop it," Oliver murmured, breaking through her thoughts.

She stared at him. "What?"

He chuckled. "You're rambling in your head. I can tell because you start to rub your thumb against your index finger and bite your lower lip, which is really distracting, by the way."

She immediately released the hold on her lower lip, feeling her body temperature rise at the darkness of his pupils. She was also incredibly aroused by the fact that he knew little things like that about her, and he voiced them as if it was a normal thing to do.

"That wasn't the image of me I wanted to leave your mom with," she joked, though the thought really terrified her.

Oliver glanced her way, grinning. "Why not? I think you look gorgeous with your face flushed like that. Actually, you look gorgeous in any way."

She blushed, placing her hand over the one he had on the center console. He gave her an appreciative nod, focusing his attention back on the road. She knew he was driving a little faster than usual, but didn't point out his eagerness. It was really flattering, and she didn't want it to stop.

Not being able to handle the silence, she turned on the radio. The last song she had on started playing, ending quickly only to be replaced with a new one. Closing her eyes at the familiar tune, she began to jump slightly in her seat. Oliver's hand gripped hers tightly, and when she opened her eyes, he was grinning.

"This is it!" he proudly announced. "This is the song you play that makes you bounce in your seat!"

She laughed. "Oh, you mean the one you secretly love to death?"

"Whatever," he muttered, reaching forward to turn it louder.

She closed her eyes as she laughed harder, leaning into his side. He grinned, wrapping an arm around her and placing a quick kiss to the top of her head. And so they drove on with her buried into his side, and his arm wrapped firmly around her shoulders. She could hear him humming along to the beat at one point, and it only made her hold onto him tighter. One thought struck her on the way home that she couldn't forget.

She loved him.

She did. She absolutely, head-over-heels, can't-live-without-him, loved Oliver Queen, and she didn't care who knew it. She only cared that he'd said it first because he just couldn't hold it in any longer, and now nothing was holding her back from saying it herself.

"Hey, Oliver?" she said, watching as he pulled into her complex, easily parking in a spot in front of her building.

He cut the engine, looking down at her. "Yeah?"

"I love you, too."

He smiled, opening his car door with a jut of his head in the direction of her apartment. "Come on."

Felicity listened, shutting her car door and meeting him in front of his car. He took her hand in his own, guiding her down the sidewalk and over to the stairs. He couldn't seem to let her farther than a few inches away from him, yet another thing that confirmed her persistent thought that she loved him. When they were safely inside her apartment, he pushed her up against the door, kissing her.

The kiss was surprisingly slow, and his hand stayed locked with hers. She stuck at his pace, enjoying the long drawls of his lips against hers and the way his thumb traced circles into her wrist. She liked that he didn't want to rush this. Clearly, this meant more to him than just sex, but that went without saying. Since she was completely certain she knew how tonight would be ending, she broke off the kiss before things got too heated once again.

"Where are you going?" he asked, when she tried to slip past him.

"Condoms," she explained, pecking his lips before starting for her room. "Be right back."

As quickly as she could possibly manage, she rushed into her room. There was a box of condoms Sara had demanded she keep under her sink, and she'd never been more thankful for her friend's crazy advice. Not knowing how many they might need, she brought the whole box. When she came back out of her room, he was no longer in the kitchen.

His room was the next spot she checked, and she walked in to find him standing there, placing his suit jacket over the back of his chair. His tie was already off, thrown on the dresser like he couldn't care less about it. And she chuckled internally because she knew how he felt about ties and the way he described them as hands around his neck. Felicity came up from behind him, wrapping her arms around his muscular frame and tossing the box of condoms onto his bed.

"Hey, I thought I was supposed to take those off of you," she teased, though she really did want to be the one to undress him completely.

She'd only daydreamed about it a billion and one times. Doesn't she deserve to know what it's like?

He laughed, turning around so that his arms were wrapped around her waist. "I promise you can take whatever you'd like off of me."

"Good answer," she murmured, eyes darkening as his head dipped low to kiss her.

While his lips covered hers - literally stealing her breath away - she slipped her arms out from around him and placed them at the collar of his shirt. His tongue pressed through her mouth as she undid the top button, his lips only moving more heatedly, more _desperately_ , the farther down she got the shirt undone. It was almost as though he were trying to distract her, but even if she could think right now, she couldn't ever imagine why he would be.

When she'd separated both sides of his shirt completely, she brushed it off his shoulders. Her lips suctioned onto his shoulder, nipping a trail down and over his chest. This was the first time she'd been allowed to touch him like this, and she quickly realized how much power she truly had. Her eyes locked in on the tattoo he had over his heart, flicking up to his eyes.

Oliver was staring down at her, expression pained. Her gaze dropped, traveling down the rest of his exposed upper half. Scars littered his body, deep and pink and raw. Some were short and circular, indicating to her that they'd been stab or bullet wounds. Others were long and precise, wordlessly displaying extreme torture in his past. Not to mention the burn marks texturing his skin.

She met his eyes again, deep with fear and vulnerability. He was scared she'd see him like this and be... what, disgusted? The thought was ridiculous, and even if there was a chance of him believing it was slightly true, she wanted to put it to rest. He deserved to know that the way he looked was nothing to be ashamed of. She'd make sure he knew just how little his body bothered her, and just how much it aroused her.

Slowly, she traced her fingers over each scar, outlining them based purely on touch. He swallowed, closing his eyes. She moved her hand to cup his face, stroking a thumb across his stubble and making his eyes flutter open. Dipping her head, she placed a soft kiss to his nearest scar. His breath caught, but he didn't stop her.

Continuing on, she crouched down, trailing her lips over each and every scar from starting point to ending point. When she reached the one that descended underneath his slacks, she outlined it with her tongue, chasing it further than what was within her line of vision. He groaned, making her smirk against his skin.

And when she caught his eyes again, all of the doubt and panic was gone, now replaced with lust and love. He didn't only want her, he needed her. So, she rose from the ground, brushing against his arousal just to see his control waver briefly.

"Now do you know what I mean when I say I'm damaged?" he asked, visibly gulping.

She shook her head. "Your scars make you who you are," she murmured, closing in on his lips, "and I like who you are."

"Fuck, I love you," he growled, taking her lips and gliding them over his own.

Sliding his hands under her dress, he pressed her roughly into him. God, she he felt so good and he wasn't even inside of her yet. She whimpered, biting down on his bottom lip. Again, a low rumble came from him, and she made a note to herself about that little detail. Setting her on his dresser, he carelessly wiped all of its contents from the surface. She felt his hand at the apex of her thighs, fingers rubbing small circles into her through her panties.

Her skin felt like it was on fire, a need like no other possessing her. The pleasure he was bringing her without the skin-to-skin contact was literally blowing her mind. Moaning at the work his hands were doing, she reached desperately for his pants. Looping her fingers through the waistband of them, she yanked him towards her. He grinned, palming her teasingly and most likely reveling in her eagerness to have him already.

She'd never wanted someone as badly as she wanted him right now. Her insides are practically screaming for him, each touch sending waves of electricity straight to her core. As she tasked her fingers to getting his belt unbuckled, she felt the blood rushing through her veins as he slid one long finger underneath her panties and into her aching center.

A strangled noise escaped her throat, and she was thankful for the sound of the belt coming undone, pulling it urgently through all of the loops. His finger began a slow pattern, satisfying her, but not to the extent she needed. Hurriedly, she busted open the clasp of his slacks, sticking her hand down and under the cotton of his boxers.

The noise he let out - deep, and sounding almost animalistic - was almost enough to make her come, and she didn't know if it was because he hadn't done this in so long, or if it had to do with the person who was doing this to him. It really didn't matter what the actual reason was, because all Felicity cared about was the way he felt in her hand. Blindly, she stroked him up and out, applying just enough pressure to have him panting.

"How do you do this to me?" he groaned, words muffled as he buried his head into her hair.

Her breathing was uneven as hell, so when she responded, it took a lot of air. "Do what?"

"I've never wanted someone like this," he admitted, separating himself just enough to reattach their lips.

His tongue was warm as it invaded her mouth, stealing all thoughts away from her malfunctioning mind. She let him kiss her, thrashing her lips against his own, feeling her tongue bump with each hard collision to his teeth. She wasn't sure how he could kiss her like she was the most delicate thing he's ever seen, and then tongue-fuck her mouth without a thought in the world. All she knew was that she loved it.

Meanwhile, his hands were tugging down her panties, breaking them off her body. He ran his hands up her smooth legs, leaving her mouth to place his over her throbbing sex. As his lips closed in on her clit, she couldn't keep in her scream of pleasure.

"Oliver!" she cried, pushing him deeper into her.

She could feel his tongue flicking against her, seeming to be everywhere at once. Her nerves were in overdrive, but she wanted her first orgasm of the night to come from being with him. So, as much as it pained her, she tugged on Oliver's hair, making him lift his head up. The darkness in his eyes and the glint of her juices on his chin turned her on in ways she couldn't even attempt to explain.

"Stop," she huffed, pleading with her eyes because she knew if he started again, she wouldn't be able to stop him.

Surprisingly, he listened without question, raising himself to his full height. He took hold of the ends of her dress, pulling it up and over her head. She did him the favor of unclasping her bra, bringing it down her arms and throwing it haphazardly across the room. Immediately, his lips caught one of her nipples, his hand coming up to knead her other breast.

"Oliver, I need you," she stressed, arching as he sucked a little harder. " _Please_."

He pulled away, a little more reluctant this time, but away nonetheless. He was smirking, and that was all she needed for her to realize that his ego was damn near exploding. Smugly, he tugged his legs out of his pants and boxers - and wow, he was even more gorgeous than he'd been in her dream- no clothes separating them now. Well at least there was that to be thankful for. His ego, on the other hand, would need to brought down a notch or two. She deserved to have the upper-hand, even if it wouldn't last more than a few moments.

So while he was busy taking a condom out of the box she'd thrown onto his bed, she dropped herself in front of him, placing a long lick against his straining erection from base to tip. The box dropped from his hands, and he nearly tripped backwards. At the last minute he caught himself, managing to stay on his feet. She grinned at his expression, and he shook his head as he looked down at her.

" _Fuck_. Are you trying to kill me?" he asked, voice deep and unrecognizable.

She smiled innocently, wrapping her fingers around him. "You just seemed a little too confident, is all."

"That's because I'm about to rock your world," he promised, her moment of reign officially gone. "Come here."

She found herself rising from the ground, reaching past him for a stray condom that was probably the one he was working on unwrapping when she'd decided to taste him. Tearing the packet open with her teeth, she rolled the condom onto him. He grit his teeth, and she might have stroked him a little longer than necessary. It was the least she could do after what he'd done to her on that dresser.

When she let out a giggle at the way his shoulders eased back, his eyes flew open, hands grabbing her waist. He brought her onto the bed in one swift motion she never saw coming. He just grinned, kissing her softly again, and she could taste herself on his lips. God, she really needed to figure out how he could do that gentle kissing thing at a time like this. As his lips slowly toppled over hers, he subtly nudged her legs apart.

His frame fit perfectly between her legs, even though he was so large. She could feel him pressing right up against where she needed him most, and kissed him a little harder. One of his hands reached between them, giving him the guidance he needed in order to do no more than just thrust upwards. Before he entered her, he broke their kiss, looking deep into her eyes.

Again, he whispered, "I love you, Felicity Smoak."

She cupped his face. "I love you, too, Oliver Queen."

Then he was pushing into her, stretching her in the most delicious way possible. His lips were all over her neck and chest, letting her adjust to him. He looked into her eyes again once he was all the way in, smiling down at her. She felt like she was in heaven. She wasn't sure if sex had always felt this amazing, but something told her it was just Oliver.

Unlike the desperateness they'd had towards each other only minutes before, now they were gentle. She could tell Oliver was taking note of every moment, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't doing the same thing. His strokes were long and deep, and she could feel him down to her bones. He was everywhere all at once, without ever breaking his gaze from hers.

He bent one of her legs, entering her just a little deeper. She clutched at his back, moaning softly into his ear. Within minutes, she knew she was close. She knew he could tell, too, by the way he lifted his head to watch her face, timing his thrusts just a little more. And she was more than willing to topple over the edge and let the bliss wash over her, but Oliver seemed to have other plans in mind.

He slowed down almost to a complete stop, smirking down at her. Why in the world he was postponing this, she had no idea. He just placed a hand between them, rubbing her with just enough force to help her maintain her buildup. Then he thrust again, sharp and sure this time. She moaned, feeling her eyes roll to the back of her head. If he could just keep doing that instead of the long pause he was taking now, that would be great. Really, it was getting frustrating.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, her words coming out just as frustrated as she felt.

He looked down at her, bringing his spare hand up to trace her lower lip with. "I'm almost there," he answered.

And it was only then did she finally realize what he'd been doing. It hit her like a ton of bricks, and even though they were in the midst of sex, she wanted him all over again. He wanted to come with her, as in at the same time as her. She'd never done that before, and something told he he'd never cared enough about his other partners to do the same.

She caught his thumb between her teeth, biting down playfully. "Well, can you get there a little faster?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, clearly amused. "Honestly, I could let go right now if I wanted to."

"But?" she prompted.

"But I promised you I'd rock your world," he reminded her.

She set him with a look, kissing the palm of his hand. "You can consider my world thoroughly rocked."

"Oh yeah?" he murmured, eyes darkening just a little more than they already were.

She nodded. "Mmm-hmm," she hummed. "You are quite the world-rocker, Mr. Queen."

He growled, crushing his lips against hers, and sweeping his tongue through her mouth. "It always turned me on when you called me that," he admitted, nipping teasingly at her chin.

She grinned, subtly biting her lower lip as she eyed him. "Bad bodyguard," she fake scolded.

"Very bad," he agreed, latching onto the skin under her ear.

His hips swung into hers, stealing whatever she'd been thinking of saying far away from her mind. She felt her orgasm right where she'd left it, it only being fed. His pace was steady, and each thrust was like a nail in her coffin. He pulled back to look at her once she was teetering the edge, pressing his lips to hers. She let go then, feeling as though she'd been given his permission - which was insane since, hello? She could orgasm whenever the hell she wanted - and felt her walls convulsing around him.

He let go with her, breathing her name out in a way she wouldn't mind hearing again. Maybe everyday. She knew she'd cried out his name, but then again, she'd kind of been crying out his name all night anyways. No one had ever made her want to be so... _vocal_. Leave it to Oliver Queen to make her experience things she never had before.

He pulled out of her after he caught his breath, disposing of the condom and then plopping down next to her. He tangled their fingers together, staring at them so intently, she started to wonder if he was seeing something she wasn't. Then he propped himself up on his elbows, hovering over her. She smiled at him, happy to have his eyes back at their normal shade of sea blue, though she really fucking loved the aroused version of them.

"I was serious, you know," he told her, fingers grazing her chin.

She furrowed her brows, looking at him. "About what?"

"When I said I was done hiding my feelings for you because of my job. I think I can be with you, and protect you," he answered, joining their lips together and letting out a content sigh.

She compared his inability to stop touching and kissing her as someone coming up for air. Whatever it was, she loved it. And what he'd said was exactly what she'd wanted to hear for weeks now.

"I think you can, too," she whispered, kissing his cheek just because she could. "But won't Diggle be mad? He's not going to give you any more cases."

Oliver sighed. "That just means we'll have to keep our relationship quiet for now. Once I'm off your case, we can tell him. We'll act like how we always do in public so we won't draw any attention to ourselves. Honestly, I'm surprised its been working for this long. Normally, pictures of us would have been plastered over every site and magazine in Starling."

Felicity chuckled. "That's because we're never doing anything that looks suspicious. Plus, I don't exactly look like a girl you'd be dating."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you talking about?"

She shrugged, suddenly interested in her hands. "Nothing. I mean, you can't say that I look like someone you'd go for. Even your sister pointed it out. I'm not like those other girls."

"Exactly," he agreed, voice deeper than it normally was. "Felicity, that's why this works. That's why as soon as I met you, I knew I was doomed. You are so different from anything I've ever known. The way I feel about you is a way I never thought I'd ever know for myself. Yes, you're not like the other girls I've been with, but that's because you're so much more. God, you are _so_ much more than them."

She blinked, trying not to let the tears that had been building up slip from her eyes. "Well don't think it's just one-sided, mister," she told him condescendingly.

He laughed. "No?"

"No," she confirmed, with a shake of her head. "You are different from any guy I've ever dated in the past. And that's partly because you aren't gay," she admitted, making him drop his head to her chest in a laugh. "But a lot of it has to do with the way you are. Even when you were being an absolute douche to me, I still felt this attraction towards you. I think you show me more than you do anyone else."

He nodded. "I do. That instantaneous trust I felt with you has never gone away." He ran a finger down her nose. "And one day, I'll tell you about the island. I'm just not ready yet."

"I understand," she responded, and he kissed her.

She got lost in the feeling of his lips on hers, sinking farther down into the mattress. He skimmed his thumb across her cheek, pecking her lips twice more before settling down on his back. Her head instantly ended up on his chest, one arm wrapped around his abdomen. They let the quiet wash over them for a few moments, before Felicity was speaking again.

"Hey, Oliver? You said that once my case is over, we can start telling people," she recalled.

He looked down at her. "Yeah."

"Well, I was just wondering how long you think that could be. I mean, how long do you think until all of this gets sorted out?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. They've been being very patient with you, and that worries me. After what happened on the night of Thea's party, I'm scared that the next time they strike, it won't be a warning."

"Should I be worried, too?"

He shook his head, squeezing her to him. "No," he murmured. "I won't let anything happen to you."

And she didn't know how, but she knew it was true.

* * *

 **A/N: Oliver and Felicity are officially together now, and I think it was about goddamn time! I'd love it if you left a review!**

 **Oh, and anyone who is interested in which song I had in mind that Felicity was bouncing in her seat to , it's called Waves by Electric Guest. Super upbeat song that always puts a grin on my face!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Here's a super long chapter for you guys! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Felicity woke up first, reveling in the feeling of her bare skin against Oliver's. They were so close, she could feel the firmness of his muscles just underneath her. He was still asleep, which was surprising since he always woke up before her. God, he was so beautiful. She ghosted her fingers across his stubble, following his jawline. His hand came up to grip hers suddenly, and she gasped.

"I thought you were asleep," she murmured, watching as he sluggishly blinked his eyes open.

He smirked. "You expect me to stay asleep with your fingers on my skin?"

"Well, they weren't anywhere indecent," she pointed out, and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"I think I remember something you said about wanting them to be," he reminded her, and she saw his eyes tint.

She shrugged. "I think I remember that. But I also think I remember saying something about you wearing pants."

"Are you telling me you want me to get dressed?"

She shook her head. "No. I'd actually prefer it if you stay naked. Like, all the time."

He laughed, nodding his head as he leaned in to kiss her. "I think that can be arranged. But only if I'm not doing it alone."

"One of us has to stay dressed," Felicity reasoned. "I mean, what if someone comes by unannounced? I can't exactly answer the door naked."

"Afraid Sara'll pounce on you?" he teased.

She shrugged, tilting her head up as he began to kiss a trail down her neck. "Either her or Jason."

Oliver pulled back. "Jason?"

"Yeah, he's the guy who moved into Sara's old apartment. He's asked me out a few times. I think seeing you here made him back off, but you never know."

Oliver's face hardened, and he slipped his hand between Felicity's legs. "Yeah, well he's going to know."

Felicity moaned, digging her nails into his shoulders. "Oliver Queen, are you jealous?"

"Jealous? Um, well let's see," he began, lowering himself down her body and taking the sheets with him. "Jason is probably is his room right now, daydreaming about you. And here I am, about to give you your first orgasm of the day."

He kissed the inside of her thigh, running a finger teasingly through her folds. "Okay, so you're not jealous," she stated.

He lifted his head up. "Maybe a little."

She laughed, and Oliver easily flipped it into a moan when his pressed the flatness of his tongue against her. God, did he somehow get better at this? No, it couldn't be possible. He'd already been her best, and he couldn't possibly top that, could he?

"Stop thinking," he grunted, dipping his tongue deeper into her and sending her hands to his hair.

"I'm thinking about you," she sputtered, attempting to justify her stray thoughts.

"Oh, really?" he asked, earning a hum of agreement from her. "Good. I'm thinking about you, too."

His hands wrapped around her thighs, dragging her closer to his face. He made her feel weightless, his strength arousing. It always had been. She'd thought so when he'd carried her down a mountain on his back, and she'd thought so when she found out he'd carried her up three flights of stairs after her night of partying at Oblivion.

And don't even get her started on his tongue. That thing was some sort of God-sent. Honestly, she was starting to lose feeling in her knees as his tongue practically assaulted her in the most erotic way possible. His hands were the only thing keeping her pinned to the bed, otherwise she'd probably be thrashing out of pure pleasure.

His tongue traced some foreign symbol into her, and she keened. She looked down at him, finding him completely engrossed in his task. He really was determined to make her come this early in the morning. Yeah, she could definitely get used to this.

She was just beginning to feel her orgasm build up, when there was a loud thumping noise. Oliver was immediately on his feet, eyes darting towards the noise. Felicity tried really hard not to stare at how gloriously naked he'd remained, and tried even harder to ignore to ache between her legs. Oliver slid his boxers back on - much to Felicity's disappointment - and pulled a shirt over his head.

"Stay here," he ordered, exiting his room and shutting the door behind him.

Felicity felt her heart racing, worried about what that noise could have been. It sounded like knocking, but her cries of pleasure made it really hard to distinguish what it really was. She hopped out of bed, slipping her arms through one of Oliver's dress shirts. It was extremely long, covering just enough for her to no longer be exposed, but still short enough to have her legs on display.

Hurriedly, she buttoned it, pressing her ear to Oliver's door in an attempt to hear something. It took a while, but pretty soon the cause of the thumping was revealed, and Felicity could feel the annoyance building up inside of her.

She was going to kill Sara.

"Oliver! You're looking mighty cozy," Sara said, her voice so loud, Felicity could hear every word clearly through the door. "I take it dinner went well? It must have if Felicity didn't give me that call she promised. Speaking of Felicity, where is she?"

"Uh, she's..." Oliver trailed off, and Felicity knew he was panicking to come up with an excuse.

Judging by the footsteps coming her way, Felicity guessed he didn't need to say anything. Quickly, she jumped away from the door, standing by the bed. In just mere seconds, Sara was opening the door, her eyes scanning the room. They landed on Felicity, a slow, smug smile making its home onto her face. Oliver was right behind her, mouth open as if he were having a brain malfunction.

"Well, well, well," Sara drawled, crossing her arms. "The whole ' _I-just-got-fucked_ ' thing looks good on you, Felicity."

"Sara, what the hell are you doing here?" Felicity practically growled.

Sara shrugged innocently. "Well, after you didn't call me last night, I started to get worried. I see now that I had nothing to worry about."

"No, all you did was interrupt what could have been an amazing orgasm," Felicity told her, and her eyes bounced to Oliver who was raking his eyes over her in his shirt. Her tone softened as she added, "But thank you for worrying about me."

Sara just laughed. "I'm sorry about the awful timing, but there is actually another reason why I'm here."

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" Felicity asked, shifting under Oliver's gaze.

Sara caught her fidgeting and turned around. "Hey, can you cool it for a second? I know she looks hot, but I actually have something important I need to tell her."

Oliver ducked his head, running a hand over his hair. "Right, sorry."

Sara shook her head at the two of them. "Seriously, the sexual tension in here is getting _me_ horny."

"Nyssa," Felicity reminded her, before Sara started to get any funny ideas.

"Right," Sara nodded. "She's actually the reason I'm here. She wanted to know if you guys could come over for dinner tonight? It's really important to her that you're there, and I told her you'd come."

"What's going on?"

"Nothing," Sara answered. "I mean, I don't think there's anything going on. She didn't tell me anything more than she just wants to have you guys over. She's been experimenting in the kitchen a lot and hinting about having my friends over to try it. So, can I tell her you're in?"

"I thought you already did," Oliver grumbled, making Sara roll her eyes.

"Well, can I not have told her a lie then?"

Oliver opened his mouth to respond, but Felicity beat him to it. "Who else did you invite?"

"Just you guys," she answered.

Felicity nodded, her worries now gone. "Okay, we can go. It'll be nice to be able to be around other people and not have to hide our relationship."

"Oh, so you guys are still keeping everything hidden?"

Oliver stepped in this time. "We just don't want to risk John finding out before I'm done with her case. But don't worry, I've already assured Felicity that I'm not backing down. This is for real."

"I'm glad to see you've pulled your head out of your ass," Sara said, patting him on the shoulder. "Now, throw some clothes on. Both of you."

"What? Why?" Felicity questioned, and she could see the same impatience in Oliver's eyes.

"Because I need my best friend to help me pick out a dress for tonight. Plus, Nyssa kicked me out of the house until dinner is ready," Sara explained, pouting slightly.

Felicity couldn't help but take pity on her, knowing Sara would just find somewhere to wander around at if she didn't agree. "Okay, fine. But no making inappropriate comments about me and Oliver in public."

"Me? I'd never do that," Sara denied, grinning devilishly. "Okay, I'll be waiting on the couch. The television will be on, but that does not mean you guys get to have a quickie."

"Sara, we're already devoting a whole day to you. Our first day as a couple, nonetheless," Oliver pointed out, slipping past her, and pulling Felicity into his waist. "I think the least we deserve is to finish what we started this morning."

"But-" Sara protested, being cut of by Oliver.

"Turn the volume up loud," he instructed, ushering Sara out of the door as Felicity giggled at his side.

Once they were alone, Oliver turned to face her. He ran at her, her body jumping out of instinct as her legs wrapped around his waist. She placed a hand behind his neck, kissing him deeply. They stood in the center of his room - with him holding her to his body like she weighed nothing - making out like teenagers. When they finally broke away, he was grinning.

"You look so hot in my shirt," he breathed, his hands skimming her upper thighs. "Maybe you can walk around in that - and _only_ that - from now on."

"I think that can be arranged," she told him, repeating the same words he'd supplied her with at her suggestion to having him walk around the house naked at all times. "Now, hurry. Sara isn't going to wait forever."

He nodded, smashing his mouth to hers quickly before murmuring against her lips, "Where?"

"Shower," she answered, grasping his face as he lead her out of his room and into the bathroom.

They couldn't help but chuckle at the vomiting noise Sara shouted their way.

* * *

It turned out, trying to be professional in public was a whole lot harder than he'd expected. Oliver had to clench his fists to keep from reaching out and grabbing Felicity every ten seconds. Clearly she was having an easier time, but that was only because she had Sara to distract her.

He didn't have anyone by his side who he could talk to to help keep his mind off of her. No, all he had was himself. It was impossible not to think about her and all of the things he'd done to her last night and in the morning. The dinner that had seemed like such a terrible idea that morning, was suddenly the thing Oliver was looking forward to the most.

Dinner with his family had been an eye-opener for him. He'd been given the opportunity to glimpse what his life would look like with Felicity by his side. Never had he wanted a future with someone so much. He hadn't been planning on anything that followed dinner, but once she kissed him, he knew he was doomed. Everything just felt right with her.

So, now that another opportunity to show others his love for Felicity presented itself, Oliver couldn't help but be thrilled. Sara finding out about their relationship was expected and didn't worry him in the slightest. She was Felicity's best friend, one of his oldest friends, and had no reason to spread their relationship around. He definitely didn't have a problem with Nyssa finding out, since she was even less of a gossiper than Sara, and didn't pry into other people's lives.

When he'd driven Felicity and Sara to the mall for another shopping spree, he'd expected to just be hanging in the front of the store like he always did, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. He also expected Felicity to be helping Sara pick out things to try on, and then provide feedback on the outfits. Not at all, did he expect Felicity to be doing a little shopping of her own, something that pleased Sara enough to get her to let out a girly scream of joy.

Felicity, of course, was oblivious to the eagerness he felt to just touch her. He wasn't talking about sex - even though there'd definitely be no objection from him there - but was meaning just touching her in general. Running his hand along her arm, sliding his arm around her waist, placing sweet kisses to her head. He wanted anyone who looked at them to know that they were a couple.

Which was literally the last thing he could do.

Instead, he stayed as close to Felicity as he could get without drawing attention, watching as her and Sara took turns trying on dresses. Honestly, Oliver didn't even notice Sara. His eyes had been drawn to Felicity the whole time, and when she'd disappear into a dressing room momentarily, he would tap his foot until she came back out.

Felicity would give him little glances, checking to make sure he were still watching. Or, at least, that's what he told himself she was doing. If not, then he didn't know how to explain the smirks she'd flash him when he had to swallow hard at a dress that would hug her in all the right places. Sometimes, he wondered if she would be the death of him.

And if so, then he couldn't imagine a sweeter way to die.

Oliver had managed to brush off pretty much every outfit she'd tried on, and he knew she hadn't really found one she liked yet since she still hadn't purchased anything. Sara, on the other hand, already bought three dresses, yet was still on a mission for more. He thought he remembered Felicity mentioning something about Sara being a bargain shopper.

Apparently, that wasn't the case today.

He knew that they'd be needing to head out soon, especially since they took such a long time to get ready. So, when Sara announced that they were walking into the last store of the day, Oliver couldn't help but feel relieved. The sooner he could bring Felicity against him, the better.

The store was small, and definitely not too crowded. The clothes were all bright, and Oliver could imagine Felicity wearing any one of them. Sara was already thrusting a pile of dresses into Felicity's hands within the first five minutes, and Felicity didn't put up a fight as she raced over to the changing room. As always, Oliver stood just an appropriate distance away from them, staring intently at the fitting room door.

Felicity didn't come out for awhile, and Oliver assumed it was because there were way too many dresses for her to get an opinion from Sara on. It felt like hours before that lock was being pulled back, Felicity emerging from the small space wearing a green dress that literally made Oliver's heart skip a beat.

Involuntarily, he took one step forward. She looked over at him, smiling. He tried really hard to ignore the cocky grin on Sara's face at his obvious frustration, and gave Felicity a nod. She'd understood what he'd meant. He wanted her to buy that. That dress was gorgeous, and she looked gorgeous in it. She gave him a small nod back, returning to the fitting room to take it off, and then heading towards the register to pay.

Oliver left the store, waiting for her and Sara - but really, he was only waiting for Felicity - and trying to contain the urge to reach for her. The mall was packed, and everyone was occupied with someone or something else. No one would notice if he pulled her in for a quick kiss, would they?

"Oh my God," Sara started, walking side by side with Felicity on their way to the parking lot. "You know what would be so great with that dress? That green thong you bought a couple weeks ago."

Oliver's blood drained from his face as he picked up on Sara's words.

"Oh, that," Felicity murmured. "Yeah, you're right."

Sara glanced at her. "Why did you say it like that?"

"It's nothing." Felicity shrugged, but even Oliver knew it was too late.

"You lost it, didn't you?" she accused.

Felicity shot a look at Oliver, rubbing the back of her neck. "Um, not exactly."

Sara caught the look, turning to face Oliver. "What was that look for? Does Oliver have it? Do you have it, Oliver?"

"I... Uh..." he sputtered, knowing he'd just given Sara all the answer she needed.

"Ew, you perv," she said, smacking his arm. "Why the hell do you have her thong?"

A few heads turned at that wild question, and Oliver could feel his face heating with embarrassment. Sara didn't look ashamed in the slightest, and he wasn't even a little bit surprised by that realization. Desperately, he looked at Felicity, hoping she'd take the wheel on this one.

"Sara, can you keep your voice down?" Felicity asked, yanking her closer by her elbow. "I thought I told you about this."

"You told me he went down on you. You didn't say anything about him keeping the merchandise."

Oliver could see Felicity inhale, obviously just as frustrated as he was growing. Really, this wasn't Sara's business. Then again, everything felt like it was her business. Oh God, he was never going to be able to keep another secret again, was he?

"Well, it was sort of a silent exchange," Felicity badly explained.

Oliver winced. Yeah, that didn't sound good.

"You know what? I don't want to know," Sara decided, looking at Oliver once again. "Do you still have it?"

He swallowed. "Um, yeah?"

"Okay, well would you mind returning it to her for tonight? What you guys do from there is up to you."

He nodded. "Sure, of course."

Sara accepted his answer, giving him a smile. "I'm sorry for reacting like that. It was just a little shocking, is all. I mean, you guys were doing hot couple-y things way before you were an actual couple."

Felicity groaned, making Oliver's lips twitch in amusement. "You don't have to tell us that. We know."

* * *

Once back at Felicity's apartment, Oliver had Felicity up against the wall. He didn't even give her the chance to get a word out before he was pressing his lips to hers, swallowing her noise of surprise. Sara had been a few steps in front of them, turning around at the sound of them practically going at it in only a matter of seconds.

"Seriously?" she asked, but they ignored her. "Guys, I'm still here, you know?"

Oliver pushed Sara's voice to the back of his mind, focusing solely on the little squeaks Felicity was letting out with each thrash of his tongue. Felicity's hands were messing up his hair, but he really couldn't care less. He had learned that she had a thing for doing that while they were kissing, and since he loved burying his hands in her long, blonde hair, he really couldn't blame her.

"Don't make me get between you two," Sara threatened. "And my back will be to you, Oliver, if you know what I mean."

Felicity pulled away, and Oliver noticed how slightly swollen her lips were. "Sara, don't give me something to tell Nyssa about at dinner."

"Yeah, well we won't even make it to dinner if you two don't stop dry-humping in the doorway," Sara pointed out, exaggerating just like she tended to do. "Let's get ready, Felicity. You know it takes me forever to do your hair."

"Fine," Felicity groaned, pulling out of Oliver's embrace.

Oliver looked at her, pretty sure that if he tried to sneak in one more kiss, Sara would kill him without any remorse. Much to his luck, Felicity took the risk for him, pulling him down to her by his neck and kissing him senseless. She broke away before he could get a handle on the situation, patting him on the cheek like she knew she'd fried his brain. Before she could walk away completely, he brought her back to him by grasping her elbow.

"We're not finished here," he growled, catching the slight shiver that ran down her spine.

She looked back at him, a small smile shadowing her lips. "I wouldn't dare think otherwise."

She slipped out of his grasp, and all he could do was watch her leave, wondering how he'd gotten so lucky. Knowing that he was going to have to get ready for this dinner himself, Oliver went into his room, picking out a suit to wear. Sure, he could have just stayed dressed the way he was, but he knew Sara would appreciate it if he changed into something nicer.

Picking a light blue dress shirt out from his closet, he grabbed the black slacks to match. Then, just because he loved the way Felicity had looked at him when she'd seen him wearing it, he picked up a black tie from his collection. Dressing up to this extent wasn't something he liked very much, but if it caused Felicity's cheeks to flush and her lips to part like that, then he'd do it everyday.

Of course, he was done getting ready way before Sara and Felicity were. He wasn't even surprised, but was more concerned about how he was supposed to keep himself occupied until they were done. Something told him they wouldn't let him inside the room to hang out with them. He knew asking would only get him a firm no, and possibly a slap from Sara.

In an attempt to keep himself entertained while they finished up, Oliver went into the living room to watch some television. He was never really a TV person, so he skimmed the channels, searching for something to watch. Usually, with Felicity, he would watch whatever she wanted. It seemed she had an addiction to binge-watching, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't find himself getting drawn in by her shows.

There was an old rerun of one of the shows he used to watch growing up, so he left it on that. His mind was only half engrossed in it though, since the other half kept thinking back on Felicity. He smiled because just the thought of her made him happy. Never would he have imagined himself becoming such a sap, but the fact that it was Felicity Smoak doing this to him surprised him in no way whatsoever.

He'd known there was something about her from the moment they met.

It wasn't until he'd been lounging out on the couch for almost half an hour did Sara emerge into the living room, nearly startling Oliver out of his seat with her abrupt entrance. She didn't seemed fazed by his almost heart-attack, her arms crossed across her chest in a way that told Oliver she wanted something.

"Yes, Sara?" he asked, not even bothering to hide his annoyance.

His relationship with Sara was definitely unique. He saw her as a little sister since he'd grown up with Laurel and spent so much time around her. That's why they bickered like siblings. Sure, Sara tended to get on his nerves nearly every time he was around her, but he could never imagine his life without her. Plus, there was no chance of getting rid of her now that he was with Felicity.

"Oliver, I believe you have something of Felicity's you'd like to give back?" Sara prompted. "It's green, extremely arousing-"

"I know what you're asking for," he interrupted, getting to his feet. "Just wait here."

Sara fake pouted. "What's wrong, Ollie? Worried I'll figure out where your stash is?"

Oliver glared at her. "I don't have a stash," he denied. "Do you not remember that this is supposed to be a professional setting?"

"Oh, and just how professional was this setting when you had Felicity pinned underneath you?"

Oliver shook his head, choosing not to respond. He retrieved what Sara was asking for, coming back into the living room to hand it over. Whatever would get her out of his hair the quickest sounded good at the moment. She simply took the thong from him, smirking like she'd beaten him at something. Then, it was back to the couch, flipping through channels until they were ready.

It turned out to be another half hour before Sara left Felicity's room, claiming they were all done. Oliver stood up at Sara's announcement, clasping his hands in front of him as he waited for Felicity to come out.

And when she did, the breath was literally stolen from him.

He swallowed, approaching her hesitantly. He remembered how often her beauty absolutely blew him away, and he'd never been able to do anything about it. Sure, he'd let a few stuttering compliments slip through, but that was as crazy as it got. Now, he got to touch her, tell her how stunning she looked, hold her close. Stepping forward, he watched as she looked at him, cheeks flushed.

"Felicity, you look gorgeous," he breathed, feeling his heart rate increase when the flush on her face deepened.

"Thank you," she replied, taking a step in his direction as she seemed to be just as eager to be near him as he was to her. "You look great yourself."

He closed the distance between them easily, bringing his lips to hers. She sighed into his mouth, like she was relieved to have his mouth extinguish the fire building up between them. Her arms snaked around his neck, allowing her to kiss him deeper. His hands were resting on her waist, keeping her hips against his. He would have stayed there kissing her all night if he could.

But he knew he couldn't do that to Nyssa. Or Sara, for that matter.

"Let's go," he murmured, breaking the kiss, "before Sara has a mini heart-attack."

"Hey," Sara started, glowering at Felicity's amused giggle. "If it weren't for me, you guys wouldn't even have the opportunity to maul each other with your tongues," Sara reminded them. "I was the one pushing for you guys."

"Yes, and for once, I'm grateful for your nosiness," Oliver responded, linking his fingers with Felicity's. "So, how's this going to work?"

Sara pondered his question, knowing what he was asking. "I should just go in my car, and you guys in your's," she answered. "That way, if you need to leave for any reason, you can."

"Okay," Oliver agreed, grabbing his keys. "Sounds good."

They left the apartment, locking up and then taking off in different cars. Oliver's fingers were laced with Felicity's the entire drive while they made small conversation over the sound of her music. Talking to her came so easily to him, and it surprised him - and her - when he realized he loved listening to her talk. And yes, she'd reminded him on more than one occasion not to tell her that, because then she "wouldn't shut up".

It wasn't until they were pulling onto the street that Sara lived on, that Felicity completely changed the energy in the car. She'd turned to Oliver, a devious smile on her face. He wasn't sure what to do, so he'd just glanced at her, a question in his eyes.

"So, you like the dress?" she prompted, and he nodded without question.

"That dress is incredible. You take my breath away, Felicity Smoak," he murmured, bringing her hand to his lips.

She smiled. "And do you like what's under the dress?"

"Well, considering the last time I saw you in that thong, I lost all sense of control, then yes," he responded, trying to keep his pulse at an even pace.

She leaned in close, and he was so glad he'd just parked the car because he was sure he would have swerved, had he not. "Oh, I'm not wearing the thong."

"But... But Sara... She took it from me," he stuttered, his demeanor tumbling.

"And she thinks I'm wearing it," Felicity told him, tracing her finger over his knuckles.

He risked a look at her, his eyes zoning in on her lower lip that was caught underneath her teeth. He groaned, clenching the fist that wasn't wrapped around her small hand.

"What are you wearing, then?"

He may have asked, but he wasn't completely sure he wanted to know. Then she leaned in even closer than she already was, her voice right in his ear when she spoke next. His jaw locked, and he exhaled in an effort to refrain from pulling her onto his lap. He could see Sara waiting in front of their car, distracted by something on her phone.

Felicity's voice was practically a whisper as she said, "Nothing."

"Damn it, Felicity," he growled, reaching for her only to find that she'd already backed away from him.

Her hand was now on the handle, and he watched as she stepped out of the car, strolling up to Sara. Sara said something to her that Oliver couldn't make out through the car, and Felicity laughed. Frustrated, Oliver got out of the car as well, following their lead. He really doubted he'd be able to make it this whole evening knowing that there wasn't anything under that dress of Felicity's.

Sucking in a deep breath, he forced himself to think about the dinner he was just about to attend. Searching around, he took in Sara and Nyssa's house. It was in a nice neighborhood, and looked like just the place for them. It was centered near Nyssa's work and Sara's work. The inside of the house was the really amazing part, and Oliver wondered if they'd done any redecorating.

Yes, because redecorating kept his mind off of Felicity going commando.

Sara left a loud knock on the wooden door, and Felicity faced him, smiling coyly. He bit the inside of his cheek, forcing a smile to keep from pressing her up against the door and letting himself go crazy. The door was thankfully opening before he could let that fantasy play out in his mind, and Nyssa was standing there, a glass of wine in her hand.

"Hey, babe," Sara greeted, moving in to peck her lips.

"Hi," Nyssa returned, smiling wide at Oliver and Felicity. "I'm glad you guys could make it on such short notice."

Felicity stepped inside the house, bringing Nyssa in for a hug. "Are you kidding? I'm always available for free food."

Nyssa laughed. "Good, 'cause there's plenty." She motioned Oliver in, shutting the door behind him. "Oliver, it's been a while. How are you?"

She was right, it had been a while. The last time he'd seen her, it had been at Laurel and Tommy's housewarming party. That was months after he'd returned from the island, but he'd still had a little discomfort being apart of such a huge step in his ex's love life. But he was there to show his support, and got drunk with Nyssa since she was feeling a little awkward around Sara's mother, who was still getting used to the sexuality of her younger daughter.

"I'm great, and yourself? Sara told me you're getting into cooking now?"

"Yeah, it's a great way to unwind after a long day of work," she explained. "Teaching self-defense to a bunch of defenseless people really takes a toll on you. But I love my job, and knowing that I could be helping someone prevent getting attacked is such a great feeling."

"I bet," Oliver replied, looking around to see that Felicity and Sara were already munching on some of the snacks Nyssa had left out on the table.

Nyssa started speaking again, drawing his attention away from his beautiful girlfriend. "So, Sara mentioned you being Felicity's bodyguard."

Oliver furrowed his brows, remembering that Sara hadn't had the chance to inform Nyssa about his newly established relationship with Felicity. "Oh, actually-"

"Hold that thought," Nyssa interrupted, just as a buzzer sounded from the kitchen. "If I don't get that, the roast will burn."

Oliver didn't object, watching as she raced for the kitchen, managing not to spill a drop of wine. He looked back over at Felicity, finding her eyes on him already. Heading her way, he could see the slight darkening of her gaze. Knowing she wanted him as well was definitely a good feeling. His arms snaked around her waist from behind, bringing her back to his chest. Sara rolled her eyes, but all he cared about was the little content sigh Felicity let out.

"I regret budding in on your relationship," Sara muttered, lips twitching so that they knew she was only joking.

Felicity laughed, nuzzling her head back against Oliver. "You're lucky we're keeping things so PG right now. It won't be like that for long."

Oliver closed his eyes, murmuring, "You're killing me," into her ear so that only she'd hear, and she giggled victoriously.

"And that's why I'm telling you now, all the bedrooms in this house are off limits," Sara stated, staring them down with her serious face. "You guys aren't even allowed to be in the same room alone. That's how serious I am."

"God, we're not animals, Sara," Felicity said, shaking her head at her friend in amusement.

"Could've fooled me," Sara responded. "Do you not remember him pushing you up against the wall the first chance he got just a couple hours ago? I thought I was about to witness some Animal Planet shit."

"Yeah, that could have been really hot," Felicity agreed, making the end of Oliver's lips quirk up. "You won't have to worry about us christening any of your walls though. I respect Nyssa too much for that."

"Ha ha," Sara sarcastically remarked.

Oliver just smirked, holding Felicity a little tighter. "Sara, I'm just surprised you haven't told Nyssa about the newest development in my relationship with Felicity."

"I don't spend all my time thinking about you guys. I do have a life, you know," she grumbled, rolling her eyes again. "And I didn't know if you wanted me to tell her."

Oliver placed a kiss in the crook of Felicity neck, as she asked, "Why not?"

"Well, because-"

Before Sara could answer, there was a loud banging coming from outside. Nyssa came barreling out of the kitchen, simultaneously removing her oven mits. Oliver knit his brow, ready to step into action if need be. Felicity's hands grasped his wrists, and he swore he felt her heart beat picking up speed. Sara watched as Nyssa ran to the door, just as confused as the rest of them.

"I hope you don't mind," Nyssa started, pulling open the door, "but I invited a friend from work over last-minute."

John Diggle appeared on the other side of that door, a wine bottle in his hand. "Nyssa, I hope I'm not too late."

"No, you're just in time."

* * *

 **A/N: Review please! :)**


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